Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal: Large, crested finch with vivid red body. Black mask and chin contrast with heavy, red bill. Forages on ground and in trees and bushes. Feeds on seeds, grains, fruits, insects and snails. Hops instead of walks on ground. Alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.

● Song: "whoit cheer, whoit cheer, cheer-cheer-cheer; cheer, whoit-whoit-whoit-whoit; wheat-wheat-wheat-wheat", "bir-dy,bir-dy,bir-dy,bir-dy"

● Foraging & Feeding: Northern Cardinal: Eats seeds, insects, fruits, and snails; forages in trees, bushes, and on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Northern Cardinal: Three to four pale green, blue, or gray eggs with gray, purple, and brown marks are laid in a nest made of twigs, weeds, grass, bark strips, and leaves. Nest is lined with hair and grass, and built in a low tree or bush, or set in tangled twigs or vines, usually less than 5 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and in carried out mostly by the female.

● Similar species: Northern Cardinal: Pyrrhuloxia has a stubby, sharply curved yellow bill, red eye-ring, gray upperparts, and red wash on throat and underparts.

Flight Pattern