The Northern Cardinal is one of the most beautiful birding sights that you can ever come across. Brilliant and proud, the Northern Cardinal is generally one of the primary focuses of birding recreational enthusiasts everywhere when they happen to show up. Here are some facts and trivia about the Northern Cardinal that you may not know:
1. The Northern Cardinal is the state bird for seven different states. Now that is one popular bird! Most birds are considered lucky to have that title in only one state!
2. The male is the Cardinal that is bright red all over, while the female is colored greyish with a red tail and red wings. While the female is not as brightly colored, the red seems to stand out on the female giving it a very distinct and beautiful look. The bright red male is gorgeous as well, but the female is sometimes even prettier because of the contrasting colors.
3. The northern cardinal actually can be found in a broad range across the United States now due to human changes to the habitat. While still a northern bird, the cardinal can be found in a number of different places. Northern Cardinals are spreading as the habitat spreads. In California, however, the Northern Cardinal is becoming quite rare.
4. The cardinal is of average size for a songbird, and has a cone shaped red bill. The face of the cardinal is surrounded by a black “mask” of sorts that give the cardinal a very unique look. The cardinal is about 8 inches in length, and has a wingspan of about 11 inches. While not overly large, the Northern Cardinal still is striking when you see it.
5. The female sings to the male, and vice versa, but the female cardinal’s song is usually more complicated. It is thought that the Northern Cardinal female will call to the male from the nest when food is needed. It is also thought that the song of the Cardinal is tied into the mating rituals.
6. The male cardinal is a real stud. He will fight real or imagined competition for breeding areas, and will fight like a crazy bird. The brighter males tend to get the best outdoors breeding areas, and the most females to court. Bright red male Northern Cardinals live the good life in cardinal circles.
The Northern cardinal is certainly one of the more popular birds in the United States and with good reason. Not many birds are more attractive, and a proud northern cardinal seems to know that. They will prance around like a peacock when they are watched from a distance, seemingly enjoying the extra attention. The Northern cardinal should be high on anyone’s list of birding targets to watch out for. Another good thing about birding and the Northern Cardinal is that you are certain when you see one. There is rarely any confusion about the type of bird you are looking at. The Northern Cardinal is very clearly a Northern Cardinal, and it is a thrill when you come across one.
