Species Guide: Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Family: Cardinalidae
The Northern Cardinal, often simply “cardinal” or “redbird,” is one of North America’s most familiar and beloved songbirds. Recognizable by the male’s brilliant red plumage and both sexes’ prominent crest and stout cone-shaped bill, cardinals are year-round residents across much of eastern and central North America and into parts of Mexico and Central America. They thrive in suburban yards, woodlands, shrublands, and wetlands, and are frequent visitors to backyard feeders.
Appearance
Male
Adult males are bright, uniform red with a black mask around the bill and throat, a short crest on the crown, and a thick, conical orange-red bill. Their striking coloration and crest make them highly conspicuous year-round.
Female
Females are more subdued: mostly warm brown or buff with reddish tinges on the wings, tail, crest, and a less extensive dark face patch. Females share the same crest and heavy bill shape as males but are overall less vivid.
Juvenile
Juveniles hatch with duller, spotted or streaked plumage and a dark (grayish-black) bill that gradually becomes the adult orange-red as they mature. Young birds molt into adult-like plumage by late summer/fall.
Diet
Northern Cardinals are primarily seed and fruit eaters, with seeds (especially those from sunflowers and weeds), grains, and berries making up the bulk of their diet outside the breeding season. During the spring and summer, they eat more insects (such as caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers), which are important protein sources for feeding their nestlings. They also readily use backyard feeders (platform and tube feeders) and prefer black-oil sunflower seed.
Habitat
Cardinals occupy a broad range of habitats: dense shrubby areas, woodland edges, suburban gardens, hedgerows, and riparian thickets. They favor places with thick understory for nesting and nearby open ground or feeders for foraging. Because they do not migrate, cardinals are present year-round wherever suitable habitat and food are available.
Behavior
Cardinals are chiefly nonmigratory and often territorial, especially singing males that defend breeding territories with clear whistles and short chipping calls. They forage mostly on or near the ground, hopping and gleaning seeds and insects from leaf litter and low vegetation. Pair bonds are strong; mates may sing to each other and display courtship feeding.
Vocalizations
Their song is a series of clear, whistled phrases often rendered as “cheer-cheer-cheer” or “birdie-birdie-birdie,” with regional and individual variation. Calls include short, sharp chips and scolding notes used as alarm calls. Both sexes sing, though males sing more often.
Life cycle & Reproduction
Lifespan: Average wild lifespans are typically 3–5 years, though some individuals may live well over a decade; the oldest banded wild individual reached ~15 years.
Nesting: Females build a cup nest, usually concealed in dense shrubs or low trees, taking several days to assemble.
Clutch size & broods: Typical clutches are 2–5 eggs (most often 3–4), and pairs commonly raise 1–2 broods per year (sometimes more in favorable conditions).
Incubation & development: Incubation lasts roughly 11–13 days (primarily by the female). Nestlings fledge about 7–13 days after hatching; parents continue to feed fledglings for several weeks.
Biometrics
| Length | 20-23 cm |
| Wing Span | 25-31 cm |
| Body Weight | 42-48 grams |
| Longevity | 3-5 Years |
Natural Predators
Predation risk is highest at nests and for ground-foraging birds. Known predators and nest threats include snakes, raptors (e.g., Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks), corvids (crows, jays), mammals (squirrels, chipmunks), and domestic cats. Brown-headed cowbirds sometimes parasitize cardinal nests. Nest predation rates can be high in some areas, which influences nesting success and brood frequency.
Relationship to Humans
Cardinals are culturally significant and commonly appear in art, state symbols (they are the state bird for several U.S. states), holiday imagery, and backyard birdwatching. In folklore and popular belief, cardinals are often seen as spiritual messengers or signs from deceased loved ones; they symbolize devotion, vitality, and good fortune in various traditions. Native American stories and modern folk beliefs attach weather lore, omens, and spiritual meanings to cardinal sightings. Their conspicuous color and frequent presence near human habitation have made them natural subjects of fables and sentiments.
Conservation Status
Global status: Northern Cardinals are listed as Least Concern with a very large range and stable population trends overall (global status G5/secure). They are widespread and common across much of their range.
Global
Conservation Status
Trends & threats: While the species is not endangered and populations are generally stable or even increasing in some regions (partly due to suburban landscaping and feeder availability), local declines can occur from habitat loss, high nest predation, collisions (windows, vehicles), and predation by free-roaming domestic cats. Conservation actions that help cardinals include preserving and planting native shrubs for nesting, providing safe backyard habitat (bird baths, native fruiting plants), and keeping cats indoors.
Ad Space
References
- Lovette, I. et al. (2016) The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, handbook of bird biology. Third edition. Chichester: Wiley. [Accessed 15/10/2025]
