Yellow-billed Cardinal Identification

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Yellow-billed Cardinal Photos and Videos

Adult

A medium-sized songbird with an orange-yellow bill and clean white underparts that extend upward in a collar around the back of the head. Adult has a bright red head, black throat, and charcoal gray upperparts.

Immature

Immature has rusty brown head and throat with brownish-gray upperparts.

Adult

A common, conspicuous bird in South America’s Pantanal region and surrounding areas. Introduced to the island of Hawaii. Feeds on seeds, plant shoots, berries, and insects.

Adult

Sings a simple yet musical song, consisting of the same 3–4 note phrase repeated continuously.

Adult

Occurs in shrubby vegetation at the edges of marshes, lakes, and rivers.

Adult

Adult has a bright red head, orange-yellow bill, blackish upperparts, and white underparts. Often occurs near water, in pairs, family groups, and sometimes larger flocks.

Adult

Often forages on the ground. Sometimes gathers in larger flocks during the nonbreeding season.

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Identification

A sleek bird with a gray back, white chest and collar, and a bright red head. Immatures look similar to adults, but are brown instead of red. Similar to Red-crested Cardinal, but lacks a crest. Associated with waterside habitats such as forested marshes, flooded fields, riparian scrub and forest, and wooded lakeshores. Relatively tolerant of human disturbance and can be found in waterside towns and cities. Forages on the ground in pairs or flocks. Song is a repetitive ‘chew-wee-chew’ and call is a nasal ‘wee’. Native to South America; introduced to the Hawaiian Islands.