About Paroaria nigrogenis (Lafresnaye, 1846)
The masked cardinal, scientifically named Paroaria nigrogenis, is a bird species that belongs to the tanager family Thraupidae. It is not closely related to true cardinals from the family Cardinalidae. Its known distribution includes Trinidad, far north-eastern Colombia, and northern Venezuela. This species was previously classified as conspecific with the red-capped cardinal, Paroaria gularis. It differs from the red-capped cardinal by having black ear-coverts, and a red lower throat and upper chest, rather than black. Its lower mandible is typically whitish, although this trait is not entirely consistent, and it is occasionally pale flesh-coloured instead. This distinct taxon is recognized as a separate species, a classification supported by the lack of hybridization with Paroaria gularis gularis in the limited overlapping range the two taxa share in southern Venezuela. The common name 'masked cardinal' was suggested for this species.
