Bird
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalisAlso known as Common Cardinal, Red Cardinal, Cardinal
Male northern cardinals sport brilliant crimson plumage with a black facial mask and prominent crest, while females display warm tawny olive tones accented by red on the wings, crest, and tail. Paired couples remain together year-round, defending territories through loud, clear whistle songs that both sexes sing from high perches. These adaptable songbirds are frequent visitors to backyard feeders, relying heavily on dense shrubbery and thickets for nesting and roosting shelter.
SongbirdColorfulGranivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySunflower Seeds, Beetles, Caterpillars
Predators
- Domestic Cat
- Cooper's Hawk
- Eastern Screech-Owl
ThreatsWindow collisions, domestic cat predation, and habitat loss
HabitatsWoodlands, thickets, gardens, wetlands, and suburban yards
Life span3–15 years in the wild
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCardinalidae
- GenusCardinalis
- SpeciesCardinalis cardinalis
Native
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Feeder Setup: Offer black oil sunflower seeds or safflower seeds on platform feeders to attract pairs.
- Plant Native Cover: Maintain dense shrubbery like dogwood or sumac to provide safe nesting sites.
- Listen for Calls: Spot hidden individuals by listening for their sharp metallic chip calls from deep cover.
Close Relative (c) Diana Fuentes, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Félix Uribe from Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Family Relative John Harrison at https://www.flickr.com/photos/15512543@N04/ / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Family Relative (c) Michael D Fox, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael D Fox · cc-by
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