CARDINALS

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This article is about the bird family. For other uses, see Cardinal.

 *Periporphyrus*
*Caryothraustes*
*Rhodothraupis*
*Cardinalis*
*Cyanocompsa*
*Passerina*
*Pheucticus*
*Spiza*

An American male cardinal feeds on a sunflower seed.

**Cardinals**, in the family **Cardinalidae**, are passerine birds found in North and South America. They are also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and cardinal-buntings.

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Cardinalis cardinalis - Northern Cardinal audio

The South American cardinals in the genus *Paroaria* are placed in the tanager family Thraupidae. Contrariwise, DNA analysis of the genera *Piranga* (which includes the scarlet tanager, summer tanager, and western tanager), *Chlorothraupis*, and *Habia* showed their closer relationship to the cardinal family.[1] They have been reassigned to that family by the American Ornithological Society.[2]

## Contents

* 1Species list
* 2Biology
* 3Biological suppression of West Nile virus
* 4References
* 5External links

## Species list[edit]

(1) "Masked" clade:

* Genus *Gubernatrix*
	+ Yellow cardinal, *Gubernatrix cristata*
* Genus *Periporphyrus*
	+ Red-and-black grosbeak, *Periporphyrus erythromelas*
* Genus *Caryothraustes*
	+ Black-faced grosbeak, *Caryothraustes poliogaster*
	+ Yellow-green grosbeak, *Caryothraustes canadensis*
* Genus *Rhodothraupis*
	+ Crimson-collared grosbeak, *Rhodothraupis celaeno*
* Genus *Cardinalis*
	+ Northern cardinal, *Cardinalis cardinalis*
	+ Pyrrhuloxia, *Cardinalis sinuatus*
	+ Vermilion cardinal, *Cardinalis phoeniceus*
* Genus *Piranga* (formerly under Thraupidae)
	+ Rose-throated tanager, *Piranga roseogularis*
	+ Hepatic tanager, *Piranga flava*
	+ Scarlet tanager, *Piranga olivacea*
	+ Summer tanager, *Piranga rubra*
	+ Western tanager, *Piranga ludoviciana*
	+ Flame-colored tanager, *Piranga bidentata*
	+ White-winged tanager, *Piranga leucoptera*
	+ Red-headed tanager, *Piranga erythrocephala*
	+ Red-hooded tanager, *Piranga rubriceps*

A *Cardinalis sinuatus* in Tucson, Arizona

A female northern cardinal

Male northern cardinal - Manhasset, New York

A male cardinal in Texas

Newly hatched cardinals in Texas

(2) "Blue" clade:

* Genus *Amaurospiza*
	+ Blue seedeater, *Amaurospiza concolor*
	+ Carrizal seedeater, *Amaurospiza carrizalensis*
	+ Blackish-blue seedeater, *Amaurospiza moesta*
* Genus *Cyanocompsa*
	+ Ultramarine grosbeak, *Cyanocompsa brissonii*
	+ Blue bunting, *Cyanocompsa parellina*
	+ Blue-black grosbeak, *Cyanocompsa cyanoides*
* Genus *Cyanoloxia*
	+ Glaucous-blue grosbeak, *Cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea*
* Genus *Passerina*, North American buntings
	+ Blue grosbeak, *Passerina caerulea* – sometimes separated in *Guiraca*
	+ Lazuli bunting, *Passerina amoena*
	+ Indigo bunting, *Passerina cyanea*
	+ Varied bunting, *Passerina versicolor*
	+ Painted bunting, *Passerina ciris*
	+ Rose-bellied bunting, *Passerina rositae*
	+ Orange-breasted bunting, *Passerina leclancherii*
* Genus *Spiza*
	+ Dickcissel, *Spiza americana*

(3) Ant tanager clade:

* Genus *Habia* (formerly under Thraupidae)
	+ Red-crowned ant tanager, *Habia rubica*
	+ Red-throated ant tanager, *Habia fuscicauda*
	+ Sooty ant tanager, *Habia gutturalis*
	+ Black-cheeked ant tanager, *Habia atrimaxillaris*
	+ Crested ant tanager, *Habia cristata*
* Genus *Chlorothraupis* (formerly under Thraupidae)
	+ Carmiol's tanager, *Chlorothraupis (c.) carmioli*
	+ Olive tanager, *Chlorothraupis (c.) frenata*
	+ Lemon-spectacled tanager, *Chlorothraupis olivacea*
	+ Ochre-breasted tanager, *Chlorothraupis stolzmanni*

(4) "Chat" clade:

* Genus *Granatellus* (formerly under Parulidae)
	+ Red-breasted chat, *Granatellus venustus*
	+ Gray-throated chat, *Granatellus sallaei*
	+ Rose-breasted chat, *Granatellus pelzelni*

(5) "Pheucticus" clade:

* Genus *Pheucticus*
	+ Mexican yellow grosbeak, *Pheucticus chrysopeplus*
	+ Southern yellow grosbeak, *Pheucticus chrysogaster*
	+ Black-thighed grosbeak, *Pheucticus tibialis*
	+ Black-backed grosbeak, *Pheucticus aureoventris*
	+ Rose-breasted grosbeak, *Pheucticus ludovicianus*
	+ Black-headed grosbeak, *Pheucticus melanocephalus*

## Biology[edit]

They are robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. The family's smallest member is the 12-cm (4.7-in), 11.5-g (0.40-oz) orange-breasted bunting. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinctive appearances. The northern cardinal type species was named by colonists for the male's red crest, reminiscent of a Catholic cardinal's biretta.[3]

The "North American buntings" are known as such to distinguish them from buntings of the Old World family Emberizidae. The name "cardinal-grosbeak" can also apply to the cardinalid family as a whole.

Most species are rated by the IUCN as being of least concern, though some are near threatened.[4]

## Biological suppression of West Nile virus[edit]

A study conducted in 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia, on West Nile virus transmission in the United States, found that unlike other species, cardinals biologically suppress the disease upon infection.[5]

## References[edit]

1. **^**
2. **^**
3. **^**
4. **^** Search "cardinalidae" at IUCN Red List Archived June 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine for more info.
5. **^**

* Stiles and Skutch, *A guide to the birds of Costa Rica* ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
* Hilty, Steven L (2003) *Birds of Venezuela* London: Christopher Helm, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
* ffrench, *Birds of Trinidad and Tobago* ISBN 0-7136-6759-1
* "National Geographic" *Field Guide to the Birds of North America* ISBN 0-7922-6877-6

## External links[edit]

* Cardinalidae videos, photos and sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
* Cardinalidae sounds on xeno-canto.org
* Northern cardinal (bird information) on petinfospot.com
* Northern cardinal, including sound and video clips, on Cornell Lab of Ornithology