Cardinal

Cardinals, make up the family Cardinalidae, are a passerine birds found in North and South America. They are also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and... more

by Bob and Nadine Johnston

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

20.000 x 20.000 x 1.000 inches

Title

Cardinal

Artist

Bob and Nadine Johnston

Medium

Painting - Acrylic On Masonite

Description

Cardinals, make up the family Cardinalidae, are a passerine birds found in North and South America. They are also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and cardinal-buntings. The South American cardinals in the genus Paroaria are placed in another family, the Thraupidae.

These are robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. The family ranges in size from 4.7 inches, .40 oz Orange-breasted Bunting to the 9.8 inches, 2.99 oz Black-headed Saltator. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinctive appearances; the family is named for the red plumage (colored cardinal like the color of a Catholic cardinal's vestments) of males of the type species, the Northern Cardinal.

The "buntings" in this family are sometimes generically known as "tropical buntings" (though not all live in the tropics) or "North American buntings" (though there are other buntings in North America) to distinguish them from the true buntings, whose family does contain North American birds, but they are referred to as American sparrows (unrelated to Old World sparrows), juncos, and towhees rather than buntings. Likewise the grosbeaks in this family are sometimes called "cardinal-grosbeaks" to distinguish them from other grosbeaks. The name "cardinal-grosbeak" can also apply to this family as a whole.

Most species are rated by the IUCN as least concern, though some are near threatened.

Uploaded

July 2nd, 2012