What are the types of cardinal birds?

Cardinals are perching songbirds found in North and South America. There are three “true” cardinals belonging to the genus Cardinalis, although birds from the same family but a different genus are often referred to as cardinals. read more

The northern cardinal type species was named by colonists for the male's red crest, reminiscent of a Catholic cardinal's biretta. The "North American buntings" are known as such to distinguish them from buntings of the Old World family Emberizidae. read more

There are three “true” cardinals belonging to the genus Cardinalis, although birds from the same family but a different genus are often referred to as cardinals. These birds have strong bills for eating seeds, and also display distinct differences in coloration between the sexes. read more