CARDINAL
(female and male)
DESCRIPTION: 4″-10″. Male—the only all red bird with a crest. Female—yellowish-brown with some red, also crested. Both sexes have a heavy red bill: however, immatures, which resembles females, have dark beaks.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Introduced on several islands since 1929. Kilauea—Fairly common locally in the drier vegetated areas such as Kipuka Puaulu. Haleakala—Absent from the park.
VOICE: The song, which may be varied, is made up of a liquid whistled phrase usually repeated. Note: a sharp tik.
Visitors from the eastern states will recognize familiar birdcalls when a cardinal is nearby. They are usually rather shy birds here, so you will probably hear them first. Seeds, insects, and fruit make up the diet of these birds. They are often found in company with the red-billed leiothrix.
HOUSE FINCH Carpodacus mexicanus
(also linnet or papaya bird)
HOUSE FINCH
(female and male)
DESCRIPTION: 5½″. Male—Grayish-brown with rosy red breast, forehead, stripe over eye, and rump. At Haleakala the color is more yellow than red. Female and Immature—Sparrowlike with a gray-brown back and dusky-white streaked breast. House finches have thick seed-eating bills.