Northern Cardinal Bird Facts (Cardinalis cardinalis)

The Northern Cardinal is an unmistakable, striking bird with a distinctive crest and robust conical bill. Males are bright red, with a black face mask and coral-red bill. Their wings have a grayish tinge.

Females are predominantly pale brown or buff, with reddish tinges on the crest, wings, and tail. Both sexes have a prominent crest and a long tail. Juveniles resemble females but have a darker bill.

Rare yellow cardinals and birds with half-male and half-female plumage turn up from time to time, and Northern Cardinals often have a scruffy appearance when molting and sometimes even go bald.

The Northern Cardinal can be found in Woodland habitats.

The Northern Cardinal can be found in Garden habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Northern Cardinal can be found in Urban habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Northern Cardinal is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Northern Cardinals are broadly distributed in eastern, central, and portions of southwestern North America, from southern Canada to northern Central America, and have been introduced to Hawaii, southern California, and Bermuda. They thrive in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetland edges.

In the United States, they are year-round residents and have expanded their range northward in recent decades. They are particularly common in suburban areas with dense shrubs and small trees.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Northern Cardinal. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Belize Bermuda Canada Guatemala Honduras Mexico

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

United States of America

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Cayman Islands

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Northern Cardinal displays considerable agility, particularly in its distinctive 'up-and-down' hopping motion when foraging. Its ability to navigate dense shrubs and trees with ease also suggests good manoeuvrability.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Whilst not exceptionally strong, the Cardinal's robust conical bill allows it to crack open tough seeds, indicating a respectable level of strength for its size. Its ability to defend territories year-round also suggests moderate strength.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Northern Cardinals demonstrate high adaptability, thriving in various habitats from woodlands to urban gardens. Their successful range expansion and ability to cope with different elevations (sea level to 2,500 metres) further support this rating.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

These birds maintain year-round territories, suggesting a fair degree of aggression in defending their space. Males are known to be particularly territorial during breeding season, though they're not considered overly aggressive compared to some other species.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

As non-migratory birds that maintain territories year-round in diverse climates, Northern Cardinals display good endurance. Their ability to raise multiple broods per season and survive in both temperate and subtropical zones also indicates strong stamina.

Northern Cardinals are primarily seed-eaters, favoring sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and cracked corn. They supplement their diet with insects, especially during the breeding season.

Cardinals use their strong beaks to crack open seeds and are frequent visitors to bird feeders, especially in the early morning and late afternoon.

Northern Cardinals are often seen in pairs, maintaining year-round territories. When foraging on the ground, they exhibit a distinctive 'up-and-down' hopping motion.

During courtship, males may feed seeds to females in a behavior known as mate-feeding, strengthening their pair bond.

Northern Cardinals are known for their clear, whistling songs. The male's song is a loud series of clear down-slurred or two-parted whistles, often described as 'cheer-cheer-cheer' or 'birdy-birdy-birdy'. Females also sing, which is unusual among songbirds. Their calls include a sharp 'chip' note used for contact.

Northern Cardinals form monogamous pairs and breed from March to September. Males court females by singing and offering food. Females select nest sites, typically in dense shrubs or small trees.

The nest is a cup-shaped structure made of twigs, bark strips, and grasses. Females lay 2-5 eggs, which are whitish with brown or gray spots. Incubation lasts about 11-13 days.

Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge after 9-11 days. Cardinals often raise 2 to 3 broods per season, with the male caring for fledglings while the female prepares for the next brood.

The Northern Cardinal typically lives for 2 to 3 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 15.9 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

Northern Cardinals are currently listed as Least Concern due to their large range and stable population. However, they face threats from habitat loss in some areas and collisions with windows. Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable habitats in urban and suburban areas.

Look for bright red males perched on exposed branches or feeders
Listen for their clear, whistling song, often described as 'cheer-cheer-cheer'
Check dense shrubs and low trees where they often nest
Visit bird feeders early morning or late afternoon when they're most active

Northern Cardinals face predation from hawks, owls, shrikes, and domestic cats. Nest predators include squirrels, snakes, and blue jays.

Northern Cardinals do not migrate, staying in their territories year-round.
They are one of the few female songbirds that sing, often while sitting on the nest.
The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven U.S. states, more than any other species.

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