Sometimes, the songbirds we see year-round are upstaged when temporal warblers and other tiny birds pass through during spring migration. But our year-round avian residents can be just as flashy and interesting. That is especially true of the Northern Cardinal.
Other must-see non-migratory species in Mercer County include the Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker, and chickadees. But these days, the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), aka The Red Bird is probably the most-loved backyard bird on the East Coast. We like these birds so much that they have been chosen as the state bird for seven different states, have a professional football team named after them, and are the mascot for a small flock of collegiate sports.
Why do we adore this now common bird species so much?
GOOD LOOKS
For starters, they make a great looking mated pair. Year-long, the male of this species don fire-truck red plumage from tip of crest to tip of tail, with an accent of a jet black mask around its conical (and red) bill. Females wear muted and washed shades of tan, accented by red crest, tail and wing tips. Unlike other flashy songbird species, this bird does not have ho-hum winter plumage.
On top of having good looks, cardinals have a sweet song too – and in this species (hold your seat, folks) the female sings! Her vocals and the exchange of song between male and female during nesting season is rare in passerines (avian terminology for songbirds). The most common songs of Northern Cardinals come in a one-syllable and two-syllable whistle, sometimes these one- and two-syllable whistles are used together, usually a few repeats of the double syllable whistle and then a few single syllable whistles. When these birds sing, I hear, “whaa – cheer, whaa – cheer, whaa – cheer, cheer, cheer, cheer.” Other times, their songs are more rapid and staccato; for example, using a pneumonic it sounds spot on like “purty, purty, purty”. Listen to a few songs and calls for yourself HERE. In early summer, these are some of the common and early morning songsters of the dawn chorus – what a way to wake up!
This species relishes forest edges, hedge rows, regrowing woodlands, shrubs and ornamental landscaping. In addition to residential yards being bountiful with their favorite foods, they also usually meet their nesting requirements. A single shrub in a backyard will suffice, but a few shrubs, or a small tree or two make for a favored nesting-site upgrade.
A NOT-SO-COMMON SPECIES
Cardinals weren’t always a common species in our area. Prior to the 19th century, the northern extent of their range maxed out just about at the southern border of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, during the Last Glacial Maximum, approximately 26,000-20,000 years ago, this species was apparently restricted to Florida, the Gulf Coast, southern Texas and west into southwestern deserts. Today, they are permanent residents in all but the current northern extremes of their range. Bird species that have flexible diets and can find adequate food supply do not migrate. And these birds have plenty of mechanisms and behaviors to survive cold winter temperatures.
What originally brought these birds north and east? Most ornithologists credit the trends of both increasing neighborhoods and temperatures for this species’ expansion. More recently, cardinals have benefited from our desire to keep backyard bird feeders stocked, as they relish this buffet of seeds—sunflower seeds, especially!
Literature calls cardinals granivores (seed-eaters), as seeds make up the majority of their diet. I prefer to think of them as flexitarians—they eat berries when abundant, consume insects at their convenience, and then gorge on seeds when other food sources are scarce. (The high protein content of insects makes them a preferred food for nestlings.) The antioxidants found in the seeds and berries these birds eat helps produce their brightly colored feathers.
A PERFECT PAIR
Female cardinals can detect differences in the brilliance of various male suitors’ plumage, and scientists think plumage brilliance is a factor in the selection of mates. In general, brighter colored plumage has been linked with better immunity, winter survival, and foraging ability.
During the upcoming winter season, look for cardinal pairs or even small flocks in your backyard (and especially around your bird feeder). Cardinals are monogamous, usually remain together through winter, and tend to remain paired for multiple seasons. If your yard keeps a pair of cardinals through the winter, in the spring, watch for territory and courtship behavior. These devoted males make an impression on their mate by feeding her as part of their courtship. This devotion spans to also keeping his territory and female safe – cardinals are known to attack rival males that “appear” in the side-view mirrors of parked vehicles and other reflective surfaces. This reflection-attacking can be somewhat common for this species (females partake occasionally too) and has been recorded to last for hours.
As permanent residents, cardinals are a great bird to appreciate anytime, at parks, preserves or from the comfort of your back porch. Admire their plumage against crisp white snow. Observe pairs feeding together this winter, and then appreciate their vocalizations in warmer months. In the 1800’s, their sweet and simple song made cardinals popular caged birds. Today, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects cardinals and other native bird species from capture, killing, trapping, or transport. How lucky we are now to enjoy their song through our home’s open windows.
Range Maps for Northern Cardinal:
In these maps, the range of several cardinal species throughout time are depicted. The modeled range for Northern Cardinal is shown in blue. Map B illustrates the current range of cardinals. The pre-19th century range of cardinals are depicted in Map C, while cardinal range during the Last Glacial Maximum (about 25,000 years ago) is depicted in Map D.
These maps were sourced from: Smith, B.T., Escalante, P., Hernández Baños, B.E. et al. The role of historical and contemporary processes on phylogeographic structure and genetic diversity in the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis. BMC Evol Biol 11, 136 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-11-136
The not to be overlooked, picture-perfect male Northern Cardinal. Photo provided by Jack Hagan
Fierce defenders. This male was probably alerting the photographer (Jack) that he stepped over territory lines. Did you notice his female mate behind him on the branch? Photo provided by Jack Hagan.
