Pyrrhuloxia

Overview

Pyrrhuloxia: Large cardinal-like finch with conspicuous red-tipped gray crest, gray head, back, upperparts, red-washed face, breast, and pale gray underparts. Dark gray wings with red edges on primaries. Tail is red. Thick yellow bill. Eats insects, larvae, seeds, fruits and berries.

Range and Habitat

Pyrrhuloxia: Resident from Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southern Texas southward. Prefers desert brush, especially along streambeds.

INTERESTING FACTS

It has been occasionally suggested that a more appropriate name would be "Desert Cardinal".
Its name comes from Greek terms describing its coloration and the shape of its bill.
The Pyrrhuloxia was first described in 1838 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte, French naturalist and ornithologist, and nephew of Emperor Napoleon.

The Pyrrhuloxia has a large range, estimated globally at 1,500,000 square kilometers. Native to the United States and Mexico, this bird prefers subtropical or tropical shrubland ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated 7,700,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Pyrrhuloxia is Least Concern.