Photo: http://www.birdphotos.com / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Masked Cardinal
Paroaria nigrogenis
Masked Cardinal (Paroaria nigrogenis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Masked Cardinal (Paroaria nigrogenis) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 21.5 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 nigrogenis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Masked 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 Masked Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Masked Cardinal (Paroaria nigrogenis) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA ec Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 460,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Masked Cardinal?
The Masked Cardinal is a small bird that weighs around 21.5 g.
Where does the Masked Cardinal live?
The Masked Cardinal is found across South America with a range covering SA ec Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Masked Cardinal belong to?
The Masked Cardinal (Paroaria nigrogenis) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Masked Cardinal eat?
The Masked Cardinal is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Masked Cardinal migrate?
The Masked Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Masked 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 Masked Cardinal make?
1 real field recording of the Masked 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 Masked Cardinal's range?
The Masked Cardinal has a mapped global range of about 460,000 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
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
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.