The Northern Cardinal

Cardinals are non migratory birds. They can be found all year around in Florida, Eastern US, southern Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, northern Guatemala, and Belize, most of the mid west and along the US Mexican border to Arizona and Brazil.

The Northern Cardinal habitat is tree, forest, shrubs and Parks. They are known for been territorial birds. When their territory is established, they protect it against other birds and they don’t like to share them. They chase the other birds away from their territory, their nest and their food.

The male cardinal brings the material to build the nest and the female cardinal is the one that does all the work. Their nests are built with twigs, feathers, leafs, grass, grapevine bark, rootles and pine needles. It takes about 9 days to build a nest. Once they use the nest they don’t return to the same nest.

The female cardinal lays 2 to 3 eggs. The eggs are glossy, grayish, bluish, greenish white and spotted or blotched with browns, grays, or purples. She incubates the eggs and the male cardinal brings her food. After the eggs hatches both parents take turns taking care of the broods.

The Cardinal diet consists of sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, suets, black oil sunflower seeds, insects, corn and fruits. They like to eat from all types of birdfeeders and sometimes from the ground.

The cardinal is a selfish bird because they don’t like to share their food with any other bird or predator. But they like to eat their food when they are not around or when they are distracted. I have seen them eating corn from my squirrel feeder. When the squirrels are gone, (while they have the opportunity) the cardinals sneaking into the corn and eating the corn as fast as they can. When they notice that the squirrels are coming back they immediately fly to the bird feeder. I recorded a video which you can see that the little wren don’t have problem sharing their food with the other wren or with the cardinal but as soon the cardinal gets on the feeder, he chases the wrens away from the feeder. The little wrens try to come back and get some food but it is impossible because of the cardinal.

After watch the video you will be able to identify a male cardinal from a female cardinal. The male cardinal has brilliant red feathers all over his body, a black face around the bill and a red crest on top of his head. The female cardinal has orange brownish feathers, a black face around the bill, an orange reddish crest, tail and wings.

Here is the video that I recorded in Central Florida. Enjoy it.