Striking Cardinals with vibrant red plumage, crested heads. Active in mornings, evenings. Habitat: forests, gardens, parks in N. America.
Cardinals, large songbirds with crimson males, greenish-brown females. Diurnal, territorial in breeding, social in fall. Dull red wings, black throats in males.
Northern Cardinals whistle phrases like whoit whoit, whacheer whacheer. Males sing year-round, common calls include a metallic chip for contact and alarms.
Northern Cardinals eat seeds, berries, insects, and visit bird feeders for sunflower seeds. They forage on the ground and in low bushes.
Cardinals breed twice a year, stay together for a season, males defend territory through singing, help build nests, and raise 2-5 eggs per clutch.
Northern Cardinals thrive in diverse habitats, aiding humans by controlling insects. Stable population, average lifespan 3-5 years, facing predators.
Northern Cardinal is the state bird for Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Male Northern Cardinals get fiercely aggressive in breeding season, attacking even their reflections due to perceived competition.