Species Specifics: Cardinalis cardinalis

This bird may be better known to you as the red-bird or cardinal. The cardinal is our state bird (and the official bird of 6 other states, too!) and is usually the first bird to appear at your feeders in the morning and the last one to leave at night.

Cardinals are about 8” long with a wingspan of about 11”. They weigh 2-3 ounces. They are the only all red, crested birds. Their life expectancy is only 1 year and a 2-3 year old cardinal would be the exception rather than the rule. If it seems that the population of cardinals is increasing its because their range has been moving northwards during the past century. They were once considered a southern bird and in the early 1800s were rarely seen north of the Ohio River. By 1910, though, cardinals were found nesting in southern Canada. They are year round residents throughout their range east of the Rockies.

Cardinals prefer to eat on a tray, a platform type feeder or on the ground. Their favorite seeds are sunflower and safflower. In the fall and winter cardinals feed in flocks. In the spring and summer they feed in pairs and it is not uncommon to see males chase other males out of their territory. Unlike most birds, both male and female cardinals sing. They have a repertoire of over 25 songs and belt them out from the tops of trees in early spring.

Cardinals are monogamous. You’ll know that their breeding season has begun when you see the male passing a seed to the female. This activity is called courtship or mate feeding and it is thought to strengthen the pair bond. The female, sometimes with the males help, builds a loose nest of twigs, leaves, bark and grasses in a small tree, dense shrub or thicket. She will lay 3-4 whitish eggs blotched with brown or purple. The female alone will incubate the eggs for 12-13 days. The male and female both tend to the nestlings for about 10 days. After they fledge, the juveniles are cared for mostly by the male for about 3 weeks while the female starts another brood. Cardinals will raise 2-3 broods per season to offset their very short life span.