Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Yellow Cardinal
Gubernatrix cristata
Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 47.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Gubernatrix
- Species cristata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 47.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Yellow Cardinal is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Yellow Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA Uruguay and n, e Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 47.6 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 9.5 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 765,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow Cardinal?
The Yellow Cardinal is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 47.6 g.
Where does the Yellow Cardinal live?
The Yellow Cardinal is found across South America with a range covering SA Uruguay and n, e Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Yellow Cardinal belong to?
The Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Yellow Cardinal eat?
The Yellow Cardinal is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Yellow Cardinal migrate?
The Yellow Cardinal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Yellow Cardinal endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Yellow Cardinal make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow 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 Yellow Cardinal's range?
The Yellow Cardinal has a mapped global range of about 765,000 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.