The beautiful Yellow Cardinal is the only member of its genus, Gubernatrix (governess), a name based on the Latin word gubernare, which means to command or direct. This title is a nod to the Yellow Cardinal's striking crest, which reminded taxonomists of the feathered and plumed hats worn by military commanders of that day.

Both sexes of Yellow Cardinal have a pointed black crest and black throat patch.  The male is the more vivid of the pair, bright yellow below and streaky yellow-olive above, with a yellow eyebrow and throat stripe. The female is more subdued, grayish-olive above with only touches of yellow, grayish cheeks and breast, and a white throat stripe.

Although the Yellow Cardinal may resemble an oddly-colored Northern Cardinal, it's not closely related to that species.

A Technical Tanager

Like the Red-crested Cardinal, the Yellow Cardinal is not a cardinal at all; rather, it belongs to the huge Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies) family of the neotropics, the second-largest bird family in the world. This widely varied family contains over 385 bird species in more than 100 genera, including the Scarlet-breasted Dacnis and Golden-backed Mountain-tanager as well as seedeaters, saltators, and the famous “Darwin's” finches of the Galapagos Islands.

The male Yellow Cardinal sings a mellow-sounding tune of rich whistles, repeated in patterns of three to four syllables. Both sexes give a thin, sharp call note.

Song:

Song and call:

The female Yellow Cardinal builds a nest of small twigs and dry grasses, lined with moss and plant fibers, up to ten feet above ground in a small tree or shrub. There she lays a clutch of 2–3 pale blue-green eggs.

Yellow Cardinal nests are often parasitized by the Shiny Cowbird, which can lead to nest abandonment. Their nestlings sometimes become infested with botfly larvae, which reduces chances of survival. If all goes well, Yellow Cardinal nestlings fledge after roughly two weeks. Adults will sometimes attempt to re-nest if their first brood is not successful.

This species feeds on seeds and small insects, foraging in pairs and small groups on the ground.

The Yellow Cardinal is found in southern South America, ranging from central and north Argentina to Uruguay. It may be extirpated from southeastern Brazil. It is a resident (non-migratory) species.

Habitats favored by the Yellow Cardinal include open woodlands, particularly those with patches of old-growth mesquite forest. It is also found in dry savanna with clumps of other native trees and in thorny shrublands.

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The Yellow Cardinal is heavily trapped for the cagebird trade, a fate shared by many other attractive bird species, ranging from the Painted Bunting to the Gray-breasted Parakeet. Trapping combined with extensive habitat loss has led to the rapid and ongoing decline in Yellow Cardinal numbers, with remaining populations small and fragmented. The Yellow Cardinal is classified as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Endangered Species.

Captive breeding programs for the Yellow Cardinal have been established in Uruguay and Brazil, using birds seized from poachers.

Many of the rarest bird species in the Western Hemisphere remain relatively unknown. You can learn more about these birds and the threats they face by signing up for ABC's Bird of the Week email series, which frequently highlights these fascinating birds.

American Bird Conservancy and our partners throughout Latin America and the Caribbean have created and expanded more than 100 bird reserves, which protect upward of 1.1 million acres of vital habitat. Together, we've planted more than 6.8 million trees, helping to restore degraded and damaged habitat. You can help us continue to protect endangered birds by making a gift today.