The red cardinal bird is one of the most vibrant, recognizable birds in North America.

Description of the red cardinal bird

The red cardinal bird is a red bird that lives in North America and Europe. The male red cardinal bird is all red with black markings on its face. The female red cardinal is a rusty red or brown. Though she is not a vibrant as the male red cardinal bird, the female red cardinal bird has a plume on top of her head just like the male cardinal bird does.

A little history

The red cardinal bird was hugely popular in the 1800s. At that time, the aristocracy and those who wanted to keep up with the Joneses, captured the red cardinal bird and put it in a cage in their home. People were fascinated with the color and the song of the red cardinal bird and used the bird as a status icon.

During this time there was actually a red cardinal bird trade. Bird traders would capture birds in the south in the winter time and then send them to the north. This practice didn’t go on for too long. The federal government stepped in and put a halt to red cardinal bird trading and other illegal bird trades.

The lifestyle of the red cardinal bird

The red cardinal bird is a member of the finch family and is a common backyard companion in the United States. Interestingly, the red cardinal bird is the state bird in seven states. That’s a claim to fame that is unique to the red cardinal bird.

The red cardinal bird likes to live in thick brush areas both in the wild and in residential areas. They love to eat seeds and will often make a home in bushes that can also serve as a food source. The red cardinal bird will also eat fruit and berries. In the summer, when food is in abundance, the red cardinal bird will also spend a good deal of time munching on bugs.

Attracting the red cardinal bird

If you live in an area that is home to the red cardinal bird, but the red cardinal bird somehow never visits your yard, you can make some adjustments to make your yard red cardinal bird friendly.

First, install a red cardinal bird feeder. The red cardinal bird is a huge fan of bird feeders that are gazebo shaped. These feeders can be mounted on a pole in the middle of your yard. They are stable feeders, which allow the red cardinal bird to relax while it eats. Because the red cardinal bird is a larger bird, it needs a stable base or it will tip the feeder over. Fill your red cardinal bird feeder with sunflower seeds, safflower seeds and millet and you’ll get them to your yard!