Educate Yourself About the Northern Cardinale and Its Habitat
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal has an all red distinct crest, stout triangular red bill, black patch at the base of stout, bright red overall, and a long tail. Its length is 7-9in (19-23cm) Its wingspan is 12in (30cm)Its voice is a song of clear, slurred whistles with variations including”what-cheer cheer cheer, birdy birdy birdy”, the note is a thin “chip”. Their eggs are glossy blue or green, blotched with purple and brown, with 2-3 clutches consisting of 3-4 or (2-5) eggs. The female incubates (with help form the male) for about 12-13 days, and fledging time is around 9-10 days. Both male and female feed their young. The female has a crest, and buffy brown feathers, splashed with orange-red on crest, wings, and tail.
The Northern Cardinal is a beautiful bird to have visited your lovely bird feeding garden, with his red feathers, snazzy black mask, and lovely singing. States like Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Illinois has this bird as their state bird, which must be some indication of people’s fondness for this bird. They can also be found in New Mexico, Arizona, Baja California, and into the south of Mexico.
Both male and female have a crest on their heads, witch is usually carried at half-mast, but when the bird is threatened or alarmed the pointy crown will go up in an instant. The female will flatten her crest, only when they are courting, as she crouches, and begs for food witch is part of the ritual. Both the male and female sings (she has a softer song) witch is unusual for song birds.
Cardinals are residents of the southern states, but warmer winters, as well as bird feeders are a contribution to the birds more northward expansion. In the northern parts of its range some cardinals might visit warmer latitudes, but most will stay in the same territory all year long.
The Cardinals will feed mostly on dogwood, wild grape, and mulberries (their favorite), weed seeds, and elm buds in summer, and in fall and winter they consume sumac, and insects. Sometimes you can find them drinking sap from a Yellow-bellied sapsuckers old tree hole, and catching beetles and wasps attracted to the liquid.
They are known to feed on at least 39 kinds of different weed seeds, and 33 kinds of wild fruit. You can also find them in brushy fields or in thickets of honeysuckle, privet, and other dense vines and shrubs. Cardinals are one of the most aggressive birds, and especially during nesting season when they become extra territorial, it is not unusual for male cardinals to get into wild fights.
They will start nesting in March, and will build a nest (the last one in August) witch they securely fastened to a forked branch witch is usually hidden deep into a dense tree, or shrub close to the ground. Their nest are shaped like bowls, and built out of most anything they can find, such as plant stems, grass, twigs, strips of bark, leaves, and paper.
They feed their young a diet consisting of termites, crickets, ants, and beetles, and sometimes a cardinal couple is left to raise loudmouthed cowbird babies, after their nest has been parasitized by adult cowbirds.
If you like to attract the Northern Cardinal to your lovely bird feeding garden, fill your hanging bird feeders and bird tables with safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, and cracked corn. Plant dogwood, blackberries, elderberries, wild grapes, and hackberries, and a Concorde grape wine growing up a trellis, will be greatly appreciated too. Plant trees like pines, hemlock, spruces, and other dense evergreens will also provide great nesting, rooting, and shelter opportunities in your backyard.
