The pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) or desert cardinal's name of pyrrhuloxia – once part of its scientific name – comes from Greek terms describing its reddish or orange colouration. The common name, desert cardinal, refers to it inhabiting the southwest, and often arid regions, of the North American continent. It is similar to the Northern Cardinal in its song and behaviour, and the two overlap in many desert areas. It is a year-round resident of desert scrub and mesquite thickets in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas and woodland edges in Mexico. It forages on the ground and in the shrubbery, eating seeds, fruits, and large insects.
See also: Northern cardinal
