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| Northern Cardinal Identification - All About |
Geographical range
Northern cardinals are native to the area near the North Pole. They are found throughout eastern and central North America, from southern Canada to parts of Mexico and Central America. They have also been introduced to California, Hawaii and Bermuda. Cardinals have expanded their range considerably since the early 1800s by taking advantage of warmer temperatures, human habitation, and the extra food available at bird feeders. (Halken and Linville, 1999; Sibley, 2000)
Native biogeographic regions near the North Pole
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Northern cardinals prefer woodland borders, hedges and plants around houses. This may be partly responsible for the increase in population since the early 19th century. Cardinals also benefit from the large number of humans who feed them and other seed-eating birds with garden feeders. Cardinals prefer to build their nests in dense thickets. (Halken and Linville, 1999)
Habitat zone Temperate tropics
terrestrial biome forest
Other characteristics of the peri-urban riverside agricultural habitat
physical description
Northern Cardinals are medium-sized songbirds. Males are bright red except for the black mask on their face. Females are light brown or light greenish brown with reddish highlights and do not have a black mask (but parts of their face may be dark). Both males and females have thick, orange-red, cone-shaped beaks, long tails and a distinctive crest of feathers on the top of the head. Males are slightly larger than females. Males measure 22.2-23.5 cm while females measure 20.9-21.6 ccm. The average weight of an adult cardinal is 42 to 48 g. It has a wingspan of 30.5 cm.. Immature cardinals look like females, but have a grey-black beak instead of an orange-red one.
There are 18 subspecies of Cardinalis cardinalis. The majority of these subspecies are distinguished by the colour of the female face mask. (Kelb et al., 1992; Sibley, 2000)
The male northern cardinal is probably responsible for getting more people to open a field guide than any other bird. It's the perfect blend of intimacy, clarity and elegance: a shade of red you can't take your eyes off. Cardinals do not migrate or become feathery, so they are always beautiful in snowy backyards in winter. In summer, their soft whistling is one of the first sounds of the morning.
Widespread and abundant, has expanded its range over the past century or more. Current numbers may be stable.
Cardinals, Grosbeak, and Pontings family
Habitat: Forest edges, orchards, suburban parks, desert towns, and lakes. Found in a variety of scrub-covered or semi-open habitats in the east, from cobbles and swamps to urban parks, just about anywhere there are dense shrubs for nesting. In the southwest, more local; found in tall scrub, streamside forests, and mesquite groves in the desert.
One of our most famous birds, the cardinal is the official bird of at least seven eastern states. Found in abundance in the southeast, its range has expanded northward for decades and it now brightens winter days with its color and whistling song as far south as southeastern Canada. Feeders full of sunflower seeds may have contributed to its northward spread. West of the Great Plains, the cardinal is mostly absent, but it is common locally in the southwestern deserts.
Photo gallery
feeding behavior
Feeds mainly by jumping on the ground or in low bushes, sometimes higher up in trees. It comes easily to bird feeders where sunflower seeds are preferred.
Eggs
3-4, sometimes 2-5. White to pale blue or greenish-white, with brown, purple, and grey hues. Incubation is usually by the female alone, 12-13 days.
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Both parents feed the chicks. The young leaves nest about 9-11 days after hatching. The male may feed the chicks while the female begins the next nesting attempt. 2-3 broods per year, rarely 4.
Diet
Mainly seeds, insects, and berries. Food is very diverse. Feeds on many insects including beetles, true bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, flies, and many others, as well as spiders, insects, and snails. Most of the diet consists of plant material, including weeds and weed seeds, grain residues, leaf and flower buds, many berries, and wild fruits. The young feed mainly on insects.
nesting
The male sings to defend the nesting area, actively attacking intruding males (and attacking the reflection of his own image in windows and mirrors). During courtship, both males and females hold their heads high, swaying back and forth while singing softly; the male often feeds the female early in the breeding season. The female sings mainly in spring before nesting begins. Nest: Usually well hidden in dense shrubbery, vines, or low trees, and is 3 to 10 feet above the ground, sometimes higher. The nest (built by the female) is an open cup made of twigs, grasses, grass, strips of bark, leaves, and small roots and lined with fine grass or hair.
