Narrow-beaked cardinal
| Narrow-beaked cardinal | ||||||||||||
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Narrow-beaked cardinal ( Cardinalis sinuatus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Cardinalis sinuatus | ||||||||||||
| Bonaparte , 1838 |
The narrow-billed cardinal ( Cardinalis sinuatus ) is a species of songbird from the family of cardinals (Cardinalidae) found in North and Central America .
description
Appearance
The narrow-billed cardinal reaches a length of 20 to 23 centimeters and a weight of 24 to 43 grams. He has a yellowish colored conical beak , a reddish face mask and a reddish brown feather hood . The plumage is essentially gray, only the abdominal area is scarlet, strong in the male and paler in the female. So there is a slight sexual dimorphism . The wings and the control springs are dark gray or reddish. The iris is black. Legs and feet are slate gray.
Young narrow- billed cardinals are similar in color to the adult females, but differ in their dark beak.
singing
The singing is variable and consists of a short succession of powerful whistle and flute tones that are repeated several times.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the narrow-billed cardinal extends from the southern parts of the US states of Texas , New Mexico and Arizona to northern Mexico . He prefers to live in open, desert-like landscapes and savannas .
Way of life
The birds live together in pairs. They feed primarily on various seeds and insects, as well as berries . The flowers, nectar, and fruits of cactus plants are also sometimes accepted.
The nest is built in dense, mostly thorny bushes by the female from dry twigs, strips of bark, dried up grass, feathers and animal hair. The average nest height above the ground is two to five meters. Usually two to four eggs are laid. These have a light gray-green color and are covered with a few small gray-brown spots. Sometimes a second brood occurs. The breeding season is around 14 days. The female breeds alone and is provided with food by the male during this period. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fly out after 10 to 13 days.
Danger
The narrow-beaked cardinal is not uncommon in its areas of distribution and is therefore listed by the IUCN in the category of least concern (not endangered). It is protected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act .
Subspecies
The following subspecies are distinguished:
- Cardinalis sinuatus fulvescens ( Van Rossem , 1934)
- Cardinalis sinuatus peninsulae ( Ridgway , 1887)
- Cardinalis sinuatus sinuatus Bonaparte , 1838
swell
literature
- Richard Crossly: The Crossly ID Guide. Princeton University Press, 2011, ISBN 978-0-691-14778-9 , p. 487.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Singing example
- ↑ Distribution area
- ↑ All about Birds
- ^ IUCN Red List
- ^ Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- ↑ IOC World Bird List ( Memento of the original from July 21, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
- birdnote photos
- animaldiversity - Animal Diversity Web