[2] It and the other species of genus Cardinalis were at one time placed in genera Richmondena and Pyrrhuloxia.

It has a narrow black band around the lower part of its heavy gray bill.

One spans from the Guajira Peninsula of northeastern Colombia into northern Venezuela as far as Lara state.

[4] The vermilion cardinal forages singly, in pairs, or in small groups through low vegetation.

Only the female incubates the eggs and broods the nestlings but both sexes feed the young.

However, capture for the pet trade in some locations "undoubtedly has significant negative effect on populations.