Paroaria capitata
The Yellow-billed Cardinal (Paroaria capitata) is a strikingly beautiful songbird, often considered one of the gems of South American wetlands. Measuring approximately 16-17 cm (6.3-6.7 inches) in length and weighing between 18-21 grams (0.63-0.74 oz), its most distinctive feature is a vibrant, crimson-red head, contrasting sharply with a black eye mask, a white collar extending from the chin to the nape, and a grey back. Its underparts are immaculate white, and true to its name, it sports a ...
Primarily found in open riparian zones, marshlands, swamps, floodplains, and shrubby areas along rivers and lakes at low elevations, typically below 600 meters.
Their diet consists mainly of small seeds, particularly from grasses and aquatic plants, supplemented with a variety of insects such such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars. Foraging occurs primarily by gleaning from the ground or low vegetation, often near or in shallow water.
Yellow-billed Cardinals are diurnal and often observed foraging actively at dawn and dusk. They primarily glean for food on the ground, in low vegetation, and notably, often wade in shallow water along the edges of rivers and ponds. During the breeding season, males establish and defend small ter...
The native range of the Yellow-billed Cardinal is restricted to a relatively compact area in central South America, primarily encompassing eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and the extreme southwestern part of Brazil, specifically in Mato Grosso do Sul. This species is largel...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name, the Yellow-billed Cardinal is not a true cardinal (family Cardinalidae) but belongs to the tanager family (Thraupidae). - It is one of only four species in the genus Paroaria, all known for their distinctive red or black heads. - Unlike many songbirds, this species freq...