Identification
- Sometimes called a Virginia Nightingale or Winter Redbird.
- The Northern Cardinal is a medium-sized songbird with a distinctive crest on its head. They are about 9 inches tall, and have a wing span of about 11 inches.
- Males are bright red all over with a black mask on their face, while females are a more muted brownish-red with a reddish crest and some red on their wings and tail. Both have a crest and a red or orange-red beak that stands out.
Habitat
- Northern Cardinals are found throughout the eastern United States, from Maine to Texas and as far west as Arizona and New Mexico. They even stretch down into Mexico along the coasts.
- They are often found in woodlands, gardens, parks, and suburban areas with shrubs and trees. They love feeders and seeds.
- They tend to sit low in shrubs and trees and forage on or near the ground for food, often in pairs. If they are going to sing they tend to be on a higher perch.
Nesting
- Northern Cardinals build cup-shaped nests made of twigs, grasses, and other plant material. It is usually in thick shrubs anywhere from 1-15 feet off the ground.
- The female usually does most of the nest building, and the male brings her materials.
- The nests have four layers: Coarse twigs covered in a leafy mat, then grapevine bark, then grasses, stems, rootlets, and pine needles.
Behavior
- Northern Cardinals are territorial birds that defend their feeding and nesting areas from other birds. They have been known to spend hours attacking their reflections in mirrors and windows because they think it is an intruder.
- They are active during the day and can be heard singing throughout the year, particularly during the breeding season. Many female North American songbirds don’t sing, but both male and female Northern Cardinals sing, and may sing more than 25 different songs.
- Their song sounds as if they are saying “birdie, birdie, birdie” or “cheer, cheer, cheer”.
- Sometimes during courtship, the male will feed the female seeds in a beak-to-beak fashion that can look like they are kissing.
Offspring
- Northern Cardinals usually have 1-3 broods per year, with 2-4 eggs per brood.
- The eggs are white or light green with brown or purple spots.
- Both parents help incubate the eggs for the 12ish days and feed the chicks. They are nestlings for about 10 days.
Predators
Northern Cardinals are preyed upon by hawks, owls, snakes, and domestic cats.
Diet
- Northern Cardinals are classified as granivorous because they mainly eat seeds. Their beaks are specifically designed for shelling seeds. Sometimes they will eat insects.
- They are particularly fond of sunflower seeds and other types of bird seed.
- Often they dine at twilights so will often be the very first bird at feeders and the very last. So keep your eyes open at those times and you might recognize their silhouette.
Fun Facts
- The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven US states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.
- Average lifespan is about 3 years, but the oldest recorded wild northern cardinal lived to be 15 years and 9 months. Banded and tracked in Pennsylvania.
- They get their red feathers from carotenoids in their food. If those are in short supply, you’ll see them be a more faded color.
- State bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. Also the mascot of several pro sports teams and universities.