The Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) is a medium-sized North American bird in the same genus as the Northern Cardinal and the Vermilion Cardinal, which is a South American species.
The most obvious differences between the male Pyrrhuloxia and the Northern Cardinal are the former's largely gray coloring with a red breast, a red rather than black mask, and a yellow parrot-like bill. The females of the two species resemble each other much more closely, but the shapes of their bills are diagnostic. The songs of the two species are identical, though the Pyrrhuloxia's is not quite as loud.
The Pyrrhuloxia is a resident of Mexico and the southern parts of the U.S. states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Its name comes from Greek terms describing its coloration (?????? = pyrrhos = reddish or orange) and the shape of its bill (????? = loxos = oblique, hence crossbill).
Male Pyrrhuloxia in Tucson, Arizona
Male Pyrrhuloxia
Female Pyrrhuloxia
See also
- Cardinal (bird)
- Northern Cardinal
- Passerine
