What’s Up With Red-crested Cardinals? – Hawaiʻi Audubon Society

10 things we want to share about Red-crested Cardinals
(AKA Brazilian Cardinals and Red-headed Cardinals)

The species is native to northern Argentina, southern Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
The Hui Manu Society (the forerunner of the Hawaiʻi Audubon Society) introduced an unknown number of these birds to Oʻahu and Kauaʻi between 1928 and 1931.
The adaptable species expanded naturally throughout the main Hawaiian Islands and are well established today.
Males and females look alike.
Juveniles have brown heads, turning to adult red in about one year.
Red-crested Cardinals, and other birds with crests, raise and lower their head feathers according to the situation (at rest, courting, defense, etc.)
The birds forage on the ground in both city and country dry areas, eating insects, seeds, fruit, shoots, berries and garbage.
Males build cup-shaped nests in forks of trees. Females lay 2-4 eggs.
Both parents feed chicks in the nest. After the chicks can fly, the male feeds and guards his offspring until they’re mature.
These attractive birds have also been introduced to Puerto Rico, Florida, California and Chile.