Reader Karen Bartelt celebrates a Festival of Cardinals; her notes are indented:
Our yard is a haven for Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), especially in the winter:
However, it’s nice to see them other places, like Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai, Hawaii.
If you got the latest issue of National Wildlife, you already know that Hawaii’s native bird population is suffering due to a combination of issues. However, there are numerous introduced species that are doing well. I have mixed feelings about this, but I’ve decided I’d rather see Hawaii with birds than without, even if the birds are not the originals. I’m sure some people will differ.
One of the most striking introduced species is the Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata). Natives of the Amazon, I’ve seen them on Oahu (first photo) and Kauai (second photo).
At the Puuhonua o Honaunau Historical Park south of Kona, we saw the Yellow-billed Cardinal (Paroaria capitata), also a South American native. This one came from my husband’s photos, and is used with permission. The cardinal is bathing with a group of Warbling Silverbills (aka White-throated Munia, Lonchura malabarica). .
Lastly, a pair of Red-capped Cardinals (Paroaira gularis) along a tributary of the Peruvian Amazon. The immature bird has a rusty head.
A conclave of cardinals? Anyway, a very good and interesting batch of pictures. Thank you.
What lovely cardinals. I see a woodpecker sneaking into frame in one photo as well.
I’ve seen some of those cardinals in Hawaii as well. Very lovely!
I think I’ve seen those cardinals on Lanai, but I could be wrong. I definitely have seen them on Kauai and the big island, but I have never seen them on Maui. They must be there somewhere…it’s not far a of flight from the big island.
I know I’ve seen the northern cardinal on Maui. I don’t remember seeing any others. That sure doesn’t mean they aren’t there!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Karen.
If ever a picture screamed “turn me into a Christmas card”, your top photo is it! What a gorgeous shot with the contrast of the red against the snow. And the bonus male red bellied woodpecker on the feeder. Marvelous!
We used that photo or a similar one for a photo calendar we gave our friends. We refer to the tree as “The Cardinal Tree”. Alas, it’s an old apple tree with fire blight. This may be its last year. it has two replacement trees that are coming along nicely, but I know the dynamic will change when the apple tree is gone. I hope the seeds will keep them coming regardless.
Wow, what striking birds!!!!! Gorgeous red in the snow!
Quick taxonomic note:
South American cardinals aren’t really cardinals. They’re tanagers.
As compensation, North American (at least north of Mexico) tanagers aren’t tanagers. They’re cardinals.
And somebody ought to mention the very nice red-bellied woodpecker at the feeder in the first picture. Yes, it really is a woodpecker.
Yeah, I’m not great with taxonomy, but I knew that about the S American “cardinals”. I didn’t know about the North American “tanagers”, so I’ve learned something new. I was looking for a way to cluster a bunch of photos, so I went with the generic name.
The woodpeckers are very good at doing photo-bombs!
I had absolutely no trouble spotting those.
Thanks for sharing all the lovely red birds!