Photo Credit: Bill Horn http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/photogaly.htm
MONTGOMERY-Northern Cardinals, also known as “red birds,” are an iconic symbol during the holidays and snowy winter scenes. Cardinals are a medium sized song bird known for their brilliant red coloration and beautiful songs. Males are nearly all brilliant red in color with a coral red, conical shaped bill that is surrounded by a black mask. The female cardinal is buff brown with red on their crest, wings, and tail. Their diet consists of a variety of seed, grain, insects, leaf buds, berries, and fruit. Up to one third of the cardinals summer diet consists of insects whereas their winter diet consists mostly of large seeds. Cardinals are commonly found throughout all of Alabama during all seasons and utilize a diversity of habitats.
To attract these beauties to your backyard put up a bird feeder and fill with black oil sunflower seeds! After a couple days, this common species, should be a regular visitor to your feeder. Also, don’t forget to fill your bird bath to offer clean water, especially during really cold times of year.
DISTRIBUTION:
The northern cardinal can be found throughout eastern and central North America from southern Canada to Mexico and Central America. Northern cardinals are not migratory; they are year round residents throughout their range.
Photo credit Sheri Wiggins
HABITAT:
Typical habitat for the northern cardinal includes woodland edges and clearings, brushy areas, thickets, riparian woodlands, parks, suburban gardens, and residential areas.
FEEDING HABITS: T
he northern cardinal diet consists of a variety of seeds, grains, insects, leaf buds, berries, and fruit. Up to one third of the cardinals summer diet can be insects with the winter diet consisting mostly of large seeds. Young cardinals are fed a diet consisting largely of insects.
Photo Credit: Sheri Wiggins
LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY:
Northern cardinal pair formation begins in early spring with a variety of physical displays. The male cardinal performs a variety of displays in order to attract a mate. Breeding pairs may remain together throughout the year and may breed together for several seasons. Northern cardinals are socially monogamous, though polygyny occasionally occurs. The breeding season begins in March and continues to September. Nest construction is completed by the female who then lays one to five greenish-white eggs. Incubation begins and is performed solely by the female. The male cardinal is responsible for bringing food to the incubating female. Cardinal eggs hatch after 11 to 13 days of incubation and are then fed by the male and female a diet consisting mostly of insects. The chicks leave the nest 7 to 13 days after hatching and continue to be fed by the male and female for up to 56 days. Juveniles are often pushed out of their parent’s territory and often join flocks.
Media Release/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
