Nombre en español: Cardenal Guajiro

Nombre en ingles: Vermilion Cardinal

Nombre científico: Cardinalis phoeniceus

Familia: Cardinalidae

Foto: Ignacio Yúfera/Rodrigo Gaviria/Alejandro Cartagena

Canto: Andrew Spencer

El cardenal bermejo (Cardinalis phoeniceus) es una especie de ave de la familia de los cardenales (Cardinalidae). Es endémica de Colombia y de Venezuela.

Su hábitat natural son arbustales subtropicales y tropicales secos. Es un ave endémica de La Guajira y el litoral árido de Venezuela.

Descripción

Mide 18,5 a 19 cm. Posee una cresta alargada y rojiza. El plumaje del macho es predominantemente rojo con bordes oscuros en las alas. La hembra presenta dorso de color gris arenoso, matices rojizos en la cola, y las partes inferiores predominantemente de color ocre.

Vermilion cardinal

The vermilion cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) is a species in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. It is one of three species in the genus Cardinalis.

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

The Vermilion Cardinal is the most southerly member of the genus Cardinalis, and is also the most shockingly red of the three species. The male is a bright rosy red and, as if it were not noticeable enough, it has a long spikelike crest which is almost always held straight up. It is a fairly common species in dry desert scrub and dense thorny thickets along the Caribbean coasts of Venezuela and Colombia. The species is easiest to see in the cool of the early morning when males will perch conspicuously and sing their loud whistled song, which is quite similar to that of the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).