Famous for its striking red plumage, the Northern Cardinal is one of the most abundant and beloved songbirds in North America. There is no problem: People love cardinals. And why not? Both males and females are beautiful birds that are easy to identify and a joy to watch. As such, the Northern Cardinal is the state bird for seven states, the mascot for countless sports teams, and even the subject of folklore.
Cardinals can be found in a wide variety of habitats—from deciduous forests to urban parks—throughout the eastern United States and the Midwest, extending into western Texas and southern Arizona. They are year-round residents wherever they live and retain their crimson plumage regardless of the season, providing a welcome splash of color during snowy eastern winters. In early spring, their full neck merriment, merriment, merriment The song is an exciting sign that the times are changing. Read on to discover more about this fascinating species.
1.) Surprisingly, the Northern Cardinal's original range in the US was mostly southern, with the species beginning its northward expansion in the early 1900s. Experts believe A warming climate combined with urban and suburban growth in the eastern US, which increased edge habitat and introduced backyard feeders during the winter, were the main drivers of this expansion.
2.) So, where did the “Northern” in the bird's name come from? In 1983, the American Ornithologists' Union—now the American Ornithological Society (AOS)—added this directive to the bird's name to help differentiate the species from other, more southern species also bearing the cardinal name, including Yellow Cardinal.
3.) As for the second part of the Northern Cardinal's common name, which has long been inspired by the bird's bright red plumage, which reminded people of the crimson robes and hats they wore the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. A group of Northern Cardinals may even be referred to as a college, conclave, or Vatican. (If you're into veneer, that is.)
4.) The scientific name of the bird is Cardinalis cardinalisbut cardinals had many colloquial names depending on their region, including: Common Cardinal, Cardinal Grosbeak, Red-bird, Cardinal-bird, Cardinal Redbird, Crested Redbird, Top-knot Redbird, Virginia Redbird and Virginia Nightingale.
5.) Cardinals get their trademark red plumage from their food. While they are mostly carnivores, or eating grains and seeds, cardinals also eat insects and a wide variety of fruits such as wild grapes, dogwood berries, and mulberries. These fruits contain carotenoids that can create the reds, oranges, yellows and pinks found in bird feathers.
6.) Not all Northern Cardinals are red—some may be yellow! Yes, other than the true Yellow Cardinal, there can also be a yellow version of the Northern Cardinal. Cardinals with an orange-yellow hue have been reported for decades. This variation in coloration is caused by a genetic mutation This results in a bird losing the enzyme that turns the yellow pigments in their food into red. This mutation affects only one in a million birds, so seeing a yellow cardinal is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event.
7.) There are currently 19 subspecies of Northern Cardinals recognized by the ILO World Bird List, with 14 of them located south of the United States in Mexico and north of Brazil and Guatemala. Researchers have suggested making some of the subspecies in the southwest their own species, but so far, the AOS has dismissed the idea without more supporting evidence.
8.) If you ever see a bald Northern Cardinal, don't worry: Although the bird may look sick, it's actually just melting. Every year birds replace their worn feathers with fresh ones, usually replacing a few feathers at a time. But cardinals can often lose all their head feathers at once, giving them a decidedly punk-inspired appearance in late summer after breeding.
9.) Female cardinals are among the most vocal female songbirds in North America. They often sing while sitting on the nest to tell their male when to bring food and stay away, as the male's bright red plumage can expose the nest to predators.
10.) During the spring and early summer, male cardinals are extremely protective of their breeding territory from intruders and other males. They may be so obsessed with protecting their turf that they often attack their own reflection on windows, car mirrors or other shiny surfaces. Females are also known to exhibit this aggressive behavior, and for both sexes, it can last for weeks.
