Photo: Félix Uribe from Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Vermilion Cardinal
Cardinalis phoeniceus
Vermilion Cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) — 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 Vermilion Cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) is a member of the Cardinalidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 35 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 Cardinalidae Cardinals & Allies
- Genus Cardinalis
- Species phoeniceus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 35 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Vermilion 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 spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Vermilion Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Vermilion Cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) is a species of bird in the Cardinalidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and Venezuela.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 35 g, with a wing length of about 8.4 cm and a tail of around 8.2 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 70,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Vermilion Cardinal?
The Vermilion Cardinal is a small bird that weighs around 35 g.
Where does the Vermilion Cardinal live?
The Vermilion Cardinal is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and Venezuela, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Vermilion Cardinal belong to?
The Vermilion Cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) belongs to the Cardinalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Vermilion Cardinal eat?
The Vermilion Cardinal is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Vermilion Cardinal migrate?
The Vermilion Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Vermilion 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 Vermilion Cardinal make?
1 real field recording of the Vermilion 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 Vermilion Cardinal's range?
The Vermilion Cardinal has a mapped global range of about 70,000 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
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