# Yellow-Billed Cardinal (*paroaria capitata*) The Yellow-Billed Cardinal is a visually striking and charismatic songbird native to the wetlands and riparian corridors of central South America, including the famous Pantanal region. Characterized by its brilliant crimson head, stark black bib, and bright yellow beak, this lively passerine is a delight for birdwatchers. Although it shares the name 'cardinal' due to its vibrant red hood, it is actually a member of the tanager family, Thraupidae. Highly social and active, these birds are typically seen in pairs or small family groups flitting through low shrubbery near water bodies. They have adapted exceptionally well to human-modified landscapes, frequently visiting suburban parks and gardens near water, and have even established a successful introduced population in Hawaii. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Found in marshy thickets, riparian woodlands, and swamp borders, often near slow-moving rivers or ponds. ![Yellow-Billed Cardinal](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/2168554/medium.jpg) Photo: Nicolas Olejnik, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/2168554) ## Appearance This medium-sized songbird is easily identified by its bright, featherless crimson-red head, face, and throat, which contrast beautifully with a prominent black throat patch or bib. Its upperparts are a sleek, dark charcoal-grey, while its underparts are clean white. True to its name, it possesses a heavy, slightly curved, bright yellow-to-orange bill. Unlike the closely related Red-crested Cardinal, the Yellow-Billed Cardinal completely lacks a crest, maintaining a sleek, rounded head profile. It measures roughly 16 to 17 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of about 22 to 25 centimeters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Thraupidae - **Genus:** Paroaria ## Interesting facts - An introduced population has thrived on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, since being released there in the 1960s. - Despite its common name, the Yellow-Billed Cardinal is actually a member of the tanager family (Thraupidae), not the true cardinal family (Cardinalidae). - Unlike its famous cousin, the Red-crested Cardinal, the Yellow-Billed Cardinal has no feather crest on its head. ## Special abilities - **Water-Edge Foraging:** Specially adapted to forage on muddy banks and floating vegetation, light footing allows them to navigate soft, wet substrates without sinking. - **Duet Singing:** Pairs use loud, melodic, whistled calls to maintain contact and defend territories in dense wetland vegetation. - **Agile Fly-catching:** Highly agile flight enables them to make quick, acrobatic aerial sallies to capture flying insects directly over water surfaces. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-17 cm - **Wingspan:** 22-25 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.025 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-3 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days ## Diet & Feeding Mainly feeds on various seeds, fruits, and small insects collected on the ground or among low branches near water. - **Age differences:** Chicks are fed an insect-heavy diet to provide necessary protein for rapid development. - **Primary Foods:** Grass seeds, Berries, Spiders, Caterpillars, Small beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Competitor:** [Red-crested Cardinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-crested-cardinal) (*Paroaria coronata*) — Competes for nesting sites and food resources in overlapping habitats. - **Eaten by:** Roadside Hawk (*Rupornis magnirostris*) — A common raptor that preys on small songbirds within the cardinal's range. - **Mutualism:** Ambahu tree (*Cecropia pachystachya*) — The cardinal feeds on the fruits and seeds, helping to disperse them throughout the wetland ecosystem. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-Billed Cardinal? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Yellow-Billed Cardinal? 16-17 cm ### What is Yellow-Billed Cardinal's wingspan? 22-25 cm ### How much does Yellow-Billed Cardinal weigh? 0.02-0.025 kg ### How long does Yellow-Billed Cardinal live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Yellow-Billed Cardinal move? 40 km/h ### What does Yellow-Billed Cardinal eat? Mainly feeds on various seeds, fruits, and small insects collected on the ground or among low branches near water. ### Where is Yellow-Billed Cardinal usually found? Found in marshy thickets, riparian woodlands, and swamp borders, often near slow-moving rivers or ponds. ## Where to spot - [Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/amy-b-h-greenwell-ethnobotanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hawaii-tropical-botanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Kahaluu Bay](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kahaluu-bay) — Hawaii, US · Historic District - [Lapakahi State Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lapakahi-state-historical-park) — Hawaii, US · Historic District [View all places to see Yellow-Billed Cardinal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-billed-cardinal) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Yellow-Billed Cardinal: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-billed-cardinal)