Phainopepla: Shining Robe
The handsome male Phainopepla is clad in sleek black plumage that inspired its name, a composite of the Greek words phainos (shining) and peplos (robe). The male also has striking white wing patches that are visible as he flies. Female and juvenile Phainopeplas are a more subtle ash-gray, with white edging on their wing feathers instead of the male’s bold white patches. Both sexes have bright red eyes, small, short bills, and ragged-looking crests.
Often described as a “black cardinal with a red eye,” the Phainopepla is actually unrelated … Continue