Red-cowled Cardinal Paroaria dominicana Scientific name definitions

Endemic to northeast Brazil, ranging south as far as the state of Minas Gerais, the Red-cowled Cardinal is a generally common species in semi-open areas of scrubby woodland, especially Caatinga. Identification should be unproblematic, given that this species is not found in sympatry with any other cardinal species. Like other cardinals, the sexes are basically alike and have a red head, white underparts, and dark gray back spotted white, becoming marginally paler over the lower back and rump. The Red-cowled Cardinal is often found around habitation, and is frequently kept as a cagebird, which is probably the only significant threat to its conservation.

18 cm; 30–34 g (1 Olmos, F., and C. Albano (2012). As aves da região do Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara (Piauí, Brasil). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 20(3):173–187. Close ). A medium-sized sturdy, thickset passerine with flat crown, rounded peak on rear crown, and somewhat pot-bellied look; bill rather thick and relatively short. Has head including ear-coverts, malar region and throat red, the red extending down centrally onto mid-breast, creating red “bib”; patch of white extends from breast side up to side of neck and side of nape, surrounding lower border of red; nape otherwise blackish, speckled with white at side; mantle and back black with greyish streaking, scapulars contrastingly grey, lower back, rump and uppertail-coverts grey, tail dark grey; upperwing black (again contrasting with grey scapulars), primaries, secondaries and tertials crisply edged white; below, snowy white from bottom edge of bib to undertail-coverts, some grey wash on rear flanks; iris orange-brown; upper mandible blackish; lower mandible horn-coloured; legs greyish. Sexes alike. Juvenile is similar to adult, but head dull orange with brownish wash.

NE Brazil from Maranhão, Piauí and Ceará S to N Minas Gerais. Currently expanding, probably due to escapes, to W and S of its range.

Light caatinga woodland and similarly open dry scrubby areas of dry forest; adapts well, can be found also in villages, parks and edge of agricultural areas. Sea-level to 1200 m.

Sedentary.

Vegetable and insect items. Forages on ground; in pairs and in family groups.

Song sweet, melodious and somewhat repetitive, interspersed with distinctive set of paired notes, “weeet-chup” (first note ascending, second short and descending), e.g. “teew chweet weet-chup chweet teew weet-chup...”, generally similar to song of P. cristata but more quickly delivered, not lazy-sounding; another song type a very hurried and rather complex warble. Call an inflected “chWUP!”.

Little information. Nests with chicks recorded at least from mid Aug to early Feb, two of them containing 2 and 3 chicks respectively; also one nest with 3 eggs in late Dec; nests, cup-shaped and placed in branches; eggs, greenish and densely covered with brown markings.

Not globally threatened. Previously considered Near Threatened, but appears to be more numerous than was realized. Fairly common to common. Extended its range during 1970s, colonizing S Bahia and parts of Minas Gerais. Has fairly large range, and exhibits no significant negative trends in population.

Alvaro began birding as an 11 year old in Canada, and eventually trained in Evolutionary Ecology studying, creatures as varied as leaf-cutter ants and Argentine cowbirds. But his career has been focused on birding tourism, both as a guide and owner of his tour company, as well as a avitourism consultant to various organizations. He is the author of Birds of Chile, New World Blackbirds: The Icterids, as well as the ABA Field Guide to the birds of California. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California where he is known for his pelagic birding trips. Email: alvaro@alvarosadventures.com.