Pyrrhuloxia

Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus 1-29-09

Pyrrhuloxias, also know as Mexican Cardinals, are seen in Sycamore Canyon year round. They are distinguished from the similar looking Northern Cardinals by their gray coloration and stubby yellow parrot-like beaks.

The Male Pyrrhuloxia has red around its beak and eyes as well as a red crest and red running down the belly.  The female is almost all gray with little to no red except in the crest, wings, and tail feathers. She also has a stubby yellow beak while Northern Cardinals have a red cone-shaped beak.  The female cardinal is over-all brown and not gray. Female pyrrhuloxias are very shy and often only come to my feeders at dusk and dawn.

Like their Northern counterparts, Pyrrhuloxias are seed eaters. They love peanuts and sunflower seed and will also come to suet in the winter time.

Male Pyrrhuloxia 6-11-07

This juvenile male is already starting to get the red around its eyes and on its wings. Though still downy, you can see the beginning of the red on its belly. It already has the yellow beak of an adult.

However, this juvenile (7-20-10) still has the gray beak of a nestling. However, you can still see that distinctive stubby beak shape.

Juvenile Pyrrhuloxia 7-5-10

 

When seen from the front the pyrrhuloxia takes on a comical, cone-shaped silhouette. This picture was taken May 16, 2008 in my own yard on Vermillion Sunset Dr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, they can relax their crests and often do. 7-5-10

Pyrrhuloxia sightings in	My Yard (1st sighting of each month only
Vermillion Sunset Dr	July 18, 2007
	January 31, 2008
	February 15, 2008
	May 1, 2008
	June 25, 2008
	October 4, 2008
	November 27, 2008
	January 29, 2009
	March 3, 2009
	April 1, 2009
	June 10, 2009
	September 19, 2009
	November 9, 2009
	December 5, 2009
	January 1, 2010
	February 13, 2010
	April 1, 2010
	June 21, 2010
	July 1, 2010

 

Juvenile Pyrrhuloxia 7-5-10

Pyrrhuloxia sightings in	Sycamore Canyon
Location:	Date:
Harrison Rd	May 3, 2007
	March 18, 2008
	February 13, 2010
Sienna Bluffs Trail	February 24, 2009
	March 6, 2009
	June 11, 2009
	March 3, 2010
	May 20, 2010
	July 14, 2010
Sycamore Canyon Neighborhood Streets*	March 4, 2009 June 11, 2009
Sycamore Canyon Park	August 4, 2009
	September 4, 2009
	February 12, 2010
	June 30, 2010
Azure sky Trail	January 27, 2009

*I have defined this area as the junction of Rustling Leaf Trail and Sycamore Leaf  in all directions for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile.

Adult Male Pyrrhuloxia in Sycamore Canyon Wash 2-16-09

Location:	Date Seen:
Sycamore Canyon Wash	April 15, 2008
	April 23, 2008
	May 10, 2008
	June 14, 2008
	January 29, 2009
	February 16, 2009
	March 24, 2009
	July 29, 2009
	September 25, 2009
	December 27, 2009
	March 4, 2010
	April 13, 2010

As you can see, Pyrrhuloxias can be seen practically anywhere in Sycamore Canyon at anytime of year. All data for these sightings comes from my eBird record with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.