Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Pyrrhuloxia

1. Pyrrhuloxia male 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.

2. Pyrrhuloxia 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.

3. May 16, 2008 eLike their Northern counterparts, Pyrrhuloxias are seed eaters. They love peanuts and sunflower seed and will also come to suet in the winter time.

4. Pyrrhuloxia 6-11-07 Male Pyrrhuloxia 6-11-07

5. Juvenile male pyrrhuloxia 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.

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

7. Pyrrhuloxia 7-5-10

Juvenile Pyrrhuloxia 7-5-10

 8. May 16, 2008 k

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Pyrrhuloxia_0121 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

 

10. Pyrrhuloxia_0125 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.

11. Sycamore Canyon Wash 2-16-2009 Adult Male Pyrrhuloxia in Sycamore Canyon Wash 2-16-09

12. 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.