Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-crested Cardinal
Paroaria coronata
Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 37.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Paroaria
- Species coronata
Where it lives
Bolivia and southwestern Brazil to central Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 37.8 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-crested Cardinal is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-crested Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Bolivia and sw Brazil to c Argentina, Uruguay and s Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 37.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-crested Cardinal?
The Red-crested Cardinal is a small bird that weighs around 37.8 g.
Where does the Red-crested Cardinal live?
The Red-crested Cardinal is found across South America with a range covering SA Bolivia and sw Brazil to c Argentina, Uruguay and s Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-crested Cardinal belong to?
The Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-crested Cardinal eat?
The Red-crested Cardinal is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-crested Cardinal migrate?
The Red-crested Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-crested Cardinal endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-crested Cardinal make?
1 real field recording of the Red-crested Cardinal — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-crested Cardinal's range?
The Red-crested Cardinal has a mapped global range of about 2.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thraupidae
A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.