Last week in the middle of that brutal stretch of extreme heat (temperatures in the upper 90’s, heat indexes reading 108-118), I walked out in our office garden to stretch my legs. An overhead irrigation sprayer was on for the parched plants, but the vegetation wasn’t alone in taking advantage of the water. As I stood there watching, three female cardinals took turns flying up to a trellis, waiting patiently for the sprinkler to pass. They fluttered their wings in apparent delight as the spray hit them full on, over and over. I laughed but empathized with the birds in that heat, and they reminded me precisely of running through the sprinkler on hot summer childhood days with my friends.
Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are among those generalist birds that have adapted well to human presence. Despite their name, Northern Cardinals were once restricted to Mexico and the American southeast. Bird feeders stocked through winter, a warming climate, and the increase in suburban habitat with mixed open space and forest edge have enabled them to expand their range well into Canada and the American west. They stay within their home range year-round and do not migrate.
The species is well known and highly recognizable due to the males’ bright red coloration. These guys are essentially the young hotshots with red Ferraris of the bird world—showing off for the ladies. Their deeper red coloration actually correlates positively with health and skill in foraging, thus making them more desirable as mates. Females, meanwhile (along with juveniles of both sexes) are a browner color with muted red tones. Young birds’ conical beaks start out grayish black, but turn bright orange/red as they mature into adulthood.
Cardinals eat the seeds and fruit of many native plant species, including beautyberry, mulberry, and hollies. They seem to really love black oil sunflower and safflower seeds in platform or hopper feeders. During breeding season, adults tend to eat more insects (grasshoppers, beetles, etc.) as this protein intake helps develop chick health.
These birds make a number of vocalizations used for four primary types of messages: “Get out of my house!” (defending territory), “Love you, sweetheart! Don’t forget to pick up the milk.” (mate communication), “Watch out!” (alarm signaling), and “Take me out to dinner!” (courtship feeding). Mated pairs are known to stay together for years, and partake in a behavior known as “beak kissing,” in which the male feeds a female beak-to-beak with a seed. This behavior has long tied the species to legends and stories of romance. I was particularly fascinated to learn that Northern Cardinals also have accents, singing with regional dialects that get passed down to offspring.
Neither male nor female cardinals are afraid to fight. They are particularly protective during breeding season, but they are known to defend their home territories together year-round, which is unusual for songbirds. The birds will use their crests, wings, and body positioning to intimidate rivals or invaders. Northern Cardinals are also known for “window fighting,” a behavior both entertaining and annoying to human residents of a home being constantly bombarded by a cardinal fully convinced he or she has seen another rival bird in the reflection. While this typically only happens during the spring and summer breeding season, for the sanity of residents and safety of the birds you can soap up the windows or apply decals or other visual cues to disrupt the reflection.
The males have a prominent role in popular culture, with home, winter decor, and Christmas cards often featuring the ruby-red birds. The contrast of a brilliant red cardinal amidst the backdrop of leafless trees or snow is quite striking. Perhaps because of their toughness (and great color scheme), they also serve as mascots for both professional football and baseball teams. Many Native American traditions have a spiritual connection to cardinals as well, and popular lore holds that a cardinal’s visit signifies the spirit of a loved one that has passed away.
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