I photographed these striking Red-crested Cardinals (Paroaria coronata) in the Princeville area of Kauai on December 29, 2025. Against the lush, late-December backdrop of Kauai’s north shore, their brilliant crimson heads and erect crests made for an incredibly photogenic subject. While they are often seen foraging on lawns and golf courses in Princeville, catching them in perfect light always feels like a special moment. Their stark grey backs and snowy white underparts provide such a clean contrast to that intense red hood that they almost look hand-painted.
Although they are ubiquitous across Hawaii today—often one of the first birds a visitor sees—they are actually an introduced species from South America, brought to the islands around 1930. Ornithologically speaking, they carry a bit of a secret: despite their common name and crest, they aren’t “true” cardinals (family Cardinalidae) like the Northern Cardinals of the mainland. They are technically members of the Tanager family (Thraupidae). They are incredibly charismatic and bold, often hopping right up to humans in search of scraps, which makes them a joy to observe and photograph up close.
