General Information

• The Northern Cardinal’s scientific name is Cardinalis cardinalis. The name was derived from the fact that they are the northernmost species of cardinal, and that they share a similar fashion sense with the Cardinals (the rank above Bishop) of the Roman Catholic Church who wear red robes and hats.

         o The Northern Cardinal is actually one of seven species in the world with the name Cardinal. Although it is a bird that historically called the Southern U.S. its home, the modifier Northern is appropriate because all of the other six species are located in South America.

• They prefer habitats with dense, shrubby plant growth such as forest edges.

• Over the past 60 years, Northern Cardinals have actually expanded their range northward. While birdfeeding may have played a small role in this expansion, the steady increase in global temperatures during the last half of the 20th century is probably a more important factor. Studies show that the northern edge of the Cardinal’s range is limited to areas with an average January temperature of at least 5 degrees Fahrenheit. As this temperature gradient has moved north, so have the Cardinals.

         o Another important factor in the Cardinal’s northward expansion is the change in land-use practices in the Northeast. The loss of the dense forest to agriculture and suburban uses has greatly expanded the amount of suitable habitat for Cardinals.

• The oldest recaptured banded Northern Cardinal was still alive at 15 years and 9 months old.

• The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

Nesting Behaviors

• During the breeding season, male Cardinals may sing 200 or more songs per hour in the early morning hours. Mated pairs will often sing duets together.

• The size of the Cardinal’s breeding territory varies with habitat quality and population density, but generally ranges from two to ten acres.

• Cardinals are not cavity nesters, and do not use man made nest boxes. They will build their nest in shrubs and trees, and the placement of the nest can be anywhere from a one to fifteen feet high.

• The female cardinal does most of the nest building with the male sometimes bringing her nesting materials. She will crush nesting material in her beak to make it pliable so she can make her nest into a cup-like shape.

• Northern Cardinals normally have one brood per season, but occasionally have a second. The female will lay anywhere from two to five eggs that are an off-white color speckled with gray or brown.

• Young Northern Cardinals have black bills rather than the orange-red of the adults. It gradually changes to the adult color three to four months after hatching.

Feeding Behaviors

• Contrary to popular belief, cardinals prefer foraging on the ground instead of being perched high on feeders. One study in North Carolina revealed that Cardinals spent 77% of their time foraging on the ground.

• The ability for Cardinals to digest food varies with the temperature; studies have shown that digestion efficiency rates are 16% higher at 77 degrees than at 32 degrees. This suggests that Cardinals must consume substantially more food during cold weather, especially when it’s below freezing.

• Because Cardinals are mainly ground feeders, deep snow may severely affect their ability to feed. Winter-feeding probably helps Cardinals in their northern range to survive deep snow conditions.

• The food habits of Cardinals change during the year. A study has revealed that from November through April more than 75% of their diet consists of vegetable material; the month of July drops to a low of 35% vegetable material, while the remaining months vary between 50 to 70%. The availability of insects (beetles, grasshoppers, crickets) is the prime reason for this fluctuation.

• The red color of the Cardinal’s feathers is the result of pigments called carotenoids. The amount of the pigment ingested, and then deposited in the feathers as they molt, influences the quality and depth of their coloration.