Originally from Venezuela, the Cardenalito, whose scientific name is "Carduelis Cucullata", is the most threatened bird in the country by the depredation of man. Its species faces a true process of extinction due to its beauty, which makes it very vulnerable to traffic as a species for hybridization, or cross-breeding, with other canaries, as for example, and especially, the male for its red-orange tones intense to obtain the reddish canary. On the other hand, the female, because she has a gray plumage in most of the body, has not been attractive for that purpose.
Since the nineteenth century, the Cardinal has been very persecuted for its beautiful plumage, which was used in the fashion industry, specifically as an ornament for hats and clothing.
It is not known how many Cardenalitos may be left in Venezuela and the latest projections of their population have led scientists to calculate an approximate of 600 to 4,000 of them in wildlife, against the hundreds of thousands that existed only a few hundred years ago.
To try to save the species, Venezuelan authorities and scientists are advancing a proposal for captive breeding, which, because it is very simple and productive, can be the salvation of this beautiful national species. The proposal arises from the experience recorded in Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Holland and Spain, countries where there are large populations of Cardinals born in captivity in those parts, where many of those taken from the country went.