Northern Cardinal
(Cardinalis cardinalis)
Adult Male
Photo: Ron Austing
SIZE : 7 3/4" - 8 1/2L
DESCRIPTION : Male - Completely bright red, with large crest and black around bill and throat
Female - Also has crest, but is tan with reddish accents on wings and tail
PREFERRED HABITAT: Open woodland, parks, gardens, suburbs
PREFERRED FOOD : Seeds, fruits, grains, insects
Fond of sunflower, safflower, cantaloupe, and watermelon seeds, scratch feed, bread, and peanut butter.
Prefer to eat on the ground, but will also come to elevated feeders.
BREEDING RANGE : New Brunswick west to Great Plains, south to Texas, southern New Mexico and Arizona;
Mexico east to Florida
WINTER RANGE : Permanent resident in breeding range
INTERESTING FACTS: Mate-feeding may take place at the feeder between two breeding cardinals.
The male hops over to the female with a seed in his beak. She takes it from him, or he
may deposit it into her waiting open beak, if she is begging for food, as often happens.
Mate feeding takes place during egg-laying and incubation.
Parents feed their young for 9 - 10 days, after this the male watches the fledglings for
3 more weeks, while the female nests again.
Both birds can sing: their song is a series of clear repeated whistles that may sound like,
'whoit, whoit, cheer, cheer, cheer'. The call is a metallic, 'chip'.
One of the few birds that will stand up to a greedy jay at the feeder.