Read About Cardinal Bird

The cardinal bird is known for its brightly colored plumage. Here are some fun facts to know about the cardinal bird.

What is a cardinal bird?

Besides being the mascot to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, the cardinal bird is a brightly colored red bird that is found in colder areas of North America. The cardinal bird has a little area of feathers on top of its head that are raised and they have black markings around their eyes. You can find a cardinal bird in the New England states and the Midwest. There are some Northern Cardinals that live in California, but there is concern that these birds will disappear because humans are messing with and deteriorating their habitat.

Though the male cardinal bird is a brilliant red that stands out against the snow and ugly brown backdrop of a cold Midwest winter, its female counter part is comparatively dull. The female cardinal bird is a rusty brown and is easily camouflaged in her surroundings. The male's bright red color helps his chances of finding a female cardinal bird that is willing to mate. Birds see in color and the females are more attracted to bright colors.

Cardinal bird habits

The cardinal bird has a very distinctive call. Males can be seen calling to females from trees in the spring and the winter. Male cardinal birds are very protective and will loudly warn other male birds to stay away from its female and its territory. The birds mate in the spring and the female cardinal bird will sit on her nest and call for the male when she is hungry. This allows the female to continue sitting on and protecting the nest while the male searches for food.

Luring the cardinal bird to your yard

The cardinal bird is one of many song birds that are willing to eat from a bird feeder. Many wild birds don’t seek out bird feeders, but the cardinal bird will. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, the cardinal bird hangs around during tough winter months and appreciates finding places that host reliable food sources. The cardinal bird is also not as skittish as some birds and has no qualms about approaching a bird feeder.

To attract a cardinal bird to your yard, get a stable feeder and put it about five feet above the ground. Keep the feeder full of a variety of seeds and put the feeder in a place that is safe from predators. Once the cardinal bird finds a feeder it likes, it will become a frequent visitor to the feeder.