A photo of a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), male
Northern Cardinal, Male

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal, or just cardinal (which was its name prior to 1985). It can be found in southeastern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Minnesota to Texas, New Mexico, southern Arizona, southern California, and south through Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. It is also an introduced species in a few locations such as Bermuda and Hawaii. Its habitat includes woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands. The northern cardinal is a mid-sized songbird with a body length of 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in). It has a distinctive crest on the head and a mask on the face which is black in the male and gray in the female. The male is a vibrant red, while the female is a reddish olive color. The northern cardinal feeds mainly on seeds but is also known to feed on insects and fruit. The male behaves territorially, marking out his territory with song. During courtship, the male feeds seed to the female beak-to-beak. A clutch of three to four eggs is laid, and two to four clutches are produced each year.
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Northern Cardinals on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
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Ossifrage Rage
Monday 27 Mar 2023 - 12:22am
United States
A map showing the sighting location
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Ossifrage Rage
Monday 27 Mar 2023 - 12:21am
United States
A map showing the sighting location
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wolfakip :)
Sunday 26 Mar 2023 - 11:57pm
United States
A map showing the sighting location
🐧
wolfakip :)
Sunday 26 Mar 2023 - 11:56pm
United States
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