Facts About Northern Cardinals

Today, I’m sharing backyard bird tips on facts about Northern Cardinals.  Fortunately, my backyard is filled with these beauties year round.  That could be because the Northern Cardinal is the state bird for West Virginia.  These red birds are also known as visitors from heaven.  Because they are so abundant in my backyard, this does my heart good.  When I see them, I wonder if it’s my mom, dad or one of my grandparents.

Facts about Northern Cardinals:

• The Northern Cardinal is most famous species here in the United States.  However, there is the Desert Cardinal and the Vermillion Cardinal.
• Cardinals are named after Catholic Bishops, the red zucchetto.
• The Northern Cardinal just happens to be one of the most common state birds.  As a matter of fact, the stunningly red cardinal is the official bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia
• Only the males sport the bright red plumage.  So the brighter the better, because female cardinals love the red plumage.
• Cardinals nest in backyards, shrubbery, parks, and woodlots.
• They are related to the Tanagers, Grosbeaks, Buntings, and Dickcissel.
• Cardinals are also called redbirds.

• Northern Cardinals do not migrate.
• Male Cardinals are aggressive when defending their nest.  As a result, they will charge intruding birds and, sometimes mistakenly think their reflection in windows are an intruder.
• Northern cardinals, like flamingoes, use food like dogwood berries and grapes to keep their feathers red.  Luckily, I have a dogwood tree that they frequent regularly.  If you see a male that looks dull, he’s not finding enough berries to keep his plumage bright red.  (Do him a favor, plant a berry bush or dogwood tree).
• Males feed females when they are courting.
• Cardinals mate for life.
• Breeding season can last from March – September.
• The female usually builds their nest in dense bushes.
• Female cardinals usually build the nest alone.  She uses grass, bark, twigs, weeds, and leaves, rootlets to make an open cup shaped nest.  She lines it with grass or hair.

• Females lay between 3 – 5 eggs.  The eggs are are a whitish to pale bluish or greenish white color.
• Female cardinals are brown, yellow and gray.
• Females incubate the eggs for 12-13 days.
• Cardinals have 2 – 3 broods per year.
• The male cardinal will feed the nestlings while the female attempts the next brood.
• Fledglings will leave the nest 9 – 11 days after hatching.
• Parents will teach the fledglings how to find food and take care of themselves.  This responsibility usually fall to the male.  The female heads off to build another nest.
• Fledglings will grow feathers in the fall.  However, it will take male fledglings 12 months to grow bright red feathers.

I hope that you enjoyed my facts on the Northern Cardinal.  If you want to attract them to your backyard check out my post on How to Attract Northern Cardinals.