A tanager of 16 to 18 cm with strongly contrasting plumage: the head entirely bright red, the back black, the belly white and the throat black, forming a bib below the red head. No crest. The bill is orange-yellow, its most distinctive feature (hence the yellow-billed name). The iris is reddish. It is the most common cardinal of the waterside and riverside vegetation of northeastern Argentina. Often confused with the Red-crested Cardinal, from which it is distinguished by the absence of a crest and the different extent of the red.
Behaviour
Social. It lives in groups of 5 to 30 individuals in the dense riverside vegetation, the reedbeds and the lagoon edges. It eats seeds, fruit and insects. It comes down to the ground and the water to drink. Very confiding and easy to photograph thanks to its striking plumage. It sings a soft, varied melody.
How and when to see it
Year-round at the riverbanks and the vegetation of the shores. Portal Laguna Iberá and Uguay.
Where to see it in the Iberá
The gateways of the Great Iberá Park where yellow-billed cardinal has confirmed presence:
Tours to see it
Verified providers operating at the gateways where yellow-billed cardinal lives. You contact them directly on WhatsApp from the app.
- Esteros Ñe’é
Experiences with local storytelling and a cultural take on the marshes.★ 5.0 - Gaucho Argentino
Horseback journeys across a network of refuges in Iberá. Multi-day rides with overnight…★ 5.0 - Irupé Excursiones
Guided hiking. Guided visit to museums, historic sites, chapels and trails of the town…★ 5.0 - Reserva Estero Camba Trapo
Private nature reserve of Ecoposada del Estero, on the Camba Trapo road. One of the…★ 5.0
Species profile
- Common nameYellow-billed Cardinal
- Scientific nameParoaria capitata
- GroupBird
- StatusNative
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