Vermilion Cardinal

The vermilion cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. == Taxonomy and systematics == The vermilion cardinal is monotypic. It and the other species of genus Cardinalis were at one time placed in genera Richmondena and Pyrrhuloxia. The vermilion cardinal is more closely related to the pyrrhuloxia (C. sinuatus) than to the northern cardinal (C. cardinalis). == Description == The vermilion cardinal is 19 cm (7.5 in) long. Both sexes have long feathers on the crown that are typically erect. The male is almost entirely red, though it varies from very bright to somewhat dusky. It has a narrow black band around the lower part of its heavy gray bill. The female's crown is gray and the elongated feathers red. The rest of the head is brownish gray with white patches near the bill. The upperparts are grayish brown warming to brown on the rump and the underparts are buffy cinnamon. The juvenile is similar to the female but with more, and richer, brown. == Distribution and habitat == The vermilion cardinal is found in two disjunct areas. One spans from the Guajira…