Male Pyrrhuloxia In Mesquite Tree — Image by kenne
How did the Pyrrhuloxia end up with such a scary looking name? And what does Pyrrhuloxia mean?
It’s all Greek to me. No, really, it is Greek. The Pyrrhuloxia’s name comes from two Greek words:
The first one means “flame,” which has to do with the male’s red breast; the second means “crooked,”
referring to its large beak. Found in the desert southwest, Pyrrhuloxias typically like drier habitats than cardinals do.
Because of its preference for dry habitat some folks, who can’t figure out how to say Pyrrhuloxia, simply refer to it as the
“desert cardinal.”
— Source: Bird Watcher General Store
