Masked cardinal

{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{Speciesbox | image = Red-capped Cardinal.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Paroaria nigrogenis'' |volume=2018 |article-number=e.T22736357A132189303 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22736357A132189303.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Paroaria | species = nigrogenis | authority = (Lafresnaye, 1846) | synonyms = ''Paroaria gularis nigrogenis''

| range_map = Paroaria nigrogenis map.svg

}}

The '''masked cardinal''' ('''''Paroaria nigrogenis''''') is a bird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It is not very closely related to the cardinals proper (Cardinalidae).

It is found in Trinidad, far north-eastern Colombia, and northern Venezuela. It was previously considered conspecific with the red-capped cardinal (''Paroaria gularis''), from which it differs by the black ear-coverts and the red (not black) lower throat and upper chest. Additionally, its lower mandible is typically whitish, but this is not entirely consistent, as it occasionally is pale flesh-coloured. This distinctive taxon is a distinct species, as suggested by the lack of hybridization with ''P. g. gularis'' in the limited area of overlap in southern Venezuela.<ref>{{ cite journal | last1=Dávalos | first1=L.M. | last2=Porzecanski | first2=A.L. | year=2009 | title=Accounting for molecular stochasticity in systematic revisions: species limits and phylogeny of ''Paroaria'' | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=53 | issue=1 | pages=234–248 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2009.06.003 | pmid=19524053 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite web | last=Jaramillo | first=Alvaro | date=October 2010 | title=Proposal 469A: Species limits in ''Paroaria'' | url=http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCprop469.htm | publisher=South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society | access-date=2 April 2018 }}</ref> The common name masked cardinal was suggested.<ref name=restall>Restall ''et al.'' (2006).</ref>

==References== {{Commons|Paroaria nigrogenis}} {{Reflist}} * Restall, Robin L.; Rodner, C. & Lentino, M. (2006): ''Birds of Northern South America''. Christopher Helm, London. {{ISBN|0-7136-7243-9}} (vol. 1). {{ISBN|0-7136-7242-0}} (vol. 2).

masked cardinal Category:Birds of Trinidad and Tobago Category:Birds of Venezuela masked cardinal