Where Do Baby Cardinals Come From?
Every bird-watcher and most children recognize the male Northern Cardinal, a Christmas symbol, but many people know nothing about its nesting and courtship habits. Through the years, we have been able to observe and photograph most of the mating behavior of our beautiful Northern Cardinal. This lens should give you some insight into what happens in a Cardinal's nest and also into how to attract this lovely bird into your own backyard. Lists of good adult and children's books about Cardinals are also provided.
Description and Habits
Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) were called "Redbirds" where I grew up. It is also known as the Virginia nightingale. It is a Christmas symbol and ranges (in the north) from southern Canada and south to northern Guatemala and Belize. It inhabits forest edges, thickets, gardens, backyards, shrubby areas and orchards.
The bright red male Cardinal is so beautiful and has such a lovely song that it was once trapped and sold as a caged song bird. This practice stopped when its sale as a cage bird was banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
Listen to the Song of the Northern Cardinal from the National Park Service
The male's crest, black mask and bright orange beak set him apart from other birds. The more demure females are not as colorful, but are beautiful in their own right with their feathers of tan, brown and touches of red. Their beaks are also orange. Young birds have dark beaks until their first molt. Cardinals are medium sized birds measuring 8.3 to 9 inches.
A Photo Journal of Nesting Cardinals
Males are territorial during the breeding season and can be seen and heard singing from a prominent spot in their territory.
During courtship, the male feeds seed to the female. She will often flutter her wings and beg like a chick.
After the courtship is over, the female builds a nest of twigs, vines, some leaves, bark strips, grasses, weed stalks, rootlets and lined with fine grasses in a thorny bush, thicket, bramble or in a dense shrub or tree. Three to four eggs (somewhat glossy, grayish, bluish, greenish white and spotted or blotched with browns, grays, or purples) are laid. The female may delay egg laying as long as 6 days after nest completion. There are normally two to three broods each year. The female incubates the eggs for 11-13 days.
When they hatch out, the chicks are blind, helpless and have a little fuzz covering their bodies, but they grow quickly.
The chicks fledge in 7-13 days, but the male continues to feed the fledglings while the female builds a second nest.
The male Cardinal continues to feed the young even after they have grown almost as large as he is. This male was caring for a young female and a young male. The young male was already beginning to moult into his adult plumage.
This year the Northern Cardinals have had many successful nests, so there are several immature ones at each sunflower seed feeder. Several of the pairs are on their third brood. You can tell when Cardinals are on their last brood when you see both the adult male and the female feeding the young. On the first and second broods, the male feeds the fledglings while the female builds the nest, lays and incubates the eggs and feeds the young while they are in the nest.
Guide to Eastern Birds' Nests
This book has helped us identify many birds' nests that we have found in our nest boxes and in shrubs and trees on our property. The pictures and descriptions are excellent.
Peterson Field Guide: Eastern Birds' Nests
Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 11/24/2009)
Post Breeding Activities
During summer and fall the young birds go through their first molt. The male and female colors (however mottled) begin to show and the dark beaks begin to turn orange.
After the breeding season is over and the last of the young are able to feed themselves, the adults look a little ragged. They begin their fall moult and by winter have a new set of feathers so that they will be well insulated against the cold weather.
Winter Cardinals are bright, crisp and fresh looking. The male's beautiful colors help him establish a good territory in order to attract a prospective mate. In early Spring the whole cycle begins again.
Attracting Cardinals
Habitat - Shelter and Nesting Sites
Cardinals prefer shrubs and brambles. They love evergreen trees and these are especially good in winter to provide shelter from the cold. Besides being good for the birds, evergreens planted on the north side of your house will help save energy and lower your monthly bill.
Food Plants that Cardinals use include: Maple, devil's walking stick, paper mulberry, French mulberry, ironwood, bitter-sweet, hackberry, fringe tree, camphor tree, flowering dogwood, hawthorn, gumi, fatsia, common fig, ash, huckleberry, sunflower, firebush, lantana, privet, sweet gum, Southern magnolia, red mulberry, American hop hornbeam, poke-berry, pine, black cherry, pyracantha, sumac, rose, blackberry and dewberry.
Bird Feeders for Cardinals
A Cardinal's diet consists mainly of grain, but they also eat insects and fruit. Cardinals will readily eat from sunflower seed and suet feeders. They prefer platform type feeders, but will use hanging feeders that have large, sturdy perches.
More Cardinal Bird Feeders
More About Planting for Birds
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Planting for Birds and Wildlife
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Welcoming birds and animals into our yard has been a most enjoyable experience. The beauty and motion that they add to the landscape makes the garden that we have created seem all the more beautiful. We have provided a planting list with photographs...
Water Features
Water
Every creature needs a water source. Cardinals will use standard bird baths, but they seem to like water on the ground more. They love sprinklers and misters.
The Importance of Keeping Cats Inside
Over 25 years ago, when we were young and foolish, we used to let our black cat, Zee, come in and out as he pleased. One night we heard a commotion outside our bedroom window and rushed out to find Zee Cat with a Mother Cardinal in his mouth.
The nest was very low in the shrubs right by the window. There was one baby in the nest so we brought it inside and kept it warm and safe.
At that time, rehabilitators were few and hard to find. So since we had experience with hand raising cockatiels and canaries and we had everything on hand, we decided to raise the little guy ourselves.
He grew quickly and soon began to show the mottled feathers of a young male. But we had to teach him how to open sunflower seeds like his bird parents would have.
When he had moulted into most of his adult plumage, we released him into the backyard. He stayed around for a while, then went off to establish his own territory.
Ever since that incident, we have kept our cats inside during the breeding season and we only let them out on supervised excursions at other times of the year.
Cardinals to Wear and Enjoy
Red Cardinal Postcards (Package of 8)
Gifts for the bird watcher, nature lover or Cardinals fan including T-shirts and other apparel, mugs, stickers, magnets, cards, posters and bags.
Price: 7.99
Red Cardinal White T-Shirt
Gifts for the bird watcher, nature lover or Cardinals fan including T-shirts and other apparel, mugs, stickers, magnets, cards, posters and bags.
Price: 17.99
Red Cardinal Teddy Bear
Gifts for the bird watcher, nature lover or Cardinals fan including T-shirts and other apparel, mugs, stickers, magnets, cards, posters and bags.
Price: 14.99
Red Cardinal BBQ Apron
Gifts for the bird watcher, nature lover or Cardinals fan including T-shirts and other apparel, mugs, stickers, magnets, cards, posters and bags.
Price: 18.99
Red Cardinal Denim Shirt
Bright red male Northern Cardinal decorate apparel, mugs, buttons, stickers, magnets and cards. Great gifts for bird lovers.
Price: 33.99
More Cardinals to Wear and Enjoy
To see more designs, please visit our Naturally Native Creations Zazzle Gallery.
Cardinal Keds
Cardinal Designs by Naturally Native Creations
Birds in Winter
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The Wings of Winter
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The winter season is hard on wildlife, but most of all the birds. Some bird species migrate to warmer climates, but many do not. There is quite an assortment of beautiful birds that are permanent residents of, or that visit Louisiana during the wint...
Cardinal in Holly Card and Postage
Cardinal in Holly Card and Postage Designs by Naturally Native
Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior
The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior
Amazon Price: $26.37 (as of 11/24/2009)
Northern Cardinal Books for Adults
Vote for your favorite or add your own to the list.
Tanagers, Cardinals, and Finches of the United States and Canada: The Photographic Guide by David Beadle, James D. Rising
This is the first comprehensive photographic ident more...0 points
The Cardinal (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) by June Osborne
In this inviting guide, June Osborne and Barbara G more...0 points
The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats (Rodale Organic Gardening Book) by Sally Roth
Become the best bird host in your neighborhood. Le more...0 points
Children's Cardinal Books
Vote for your favorite or add your own to the list.
Christmas Eve Blizzard by Andrea Vlahakis
Christmas Eve Blizzard is the tender story of a be more...0 points
Cardinals (Naturebooks) by Patrick Merrick
This book describes the physical characteristics, more...0 points
A Cardinal in the Snow by Jimmy Bunker Smith, Jim Carpenter, Jacqueline Grabis-Bunker, Brenda J. Smith
When a little girl discovers a Cardinal in her bac more...0 points
Stokes Beginner's Guide to Bird Feeding (Stokes Beginner's Guide) by Donald Stokes, Lillian Stokes
The Stokes Beginners Guides, intended for beginnin more...0 points
Children's Song - Little Redbird
Folk Song From Georgia
Buy Cardinal Cross Stitch Sticker by naturegirl7
Little redbird in the tree, In the tree, in the tree,
Little redbird in the tree, Sing a song to me.
Sing about the roses, on the garden wall;
Sing about the birdies, In the tree top tall.
Little redbird in the tree, In the tree, in the tree,
Little redbird in the tree, Sing a song to me.
Sing about the farmer, Planting corn and beans;
Sing about the harvest, I know what that means.
Little redbird in the tree, In the tree, in the tree,
Little redbird in the tree, Sing a song to me.
Sing about the mountains, Sing about the sea,
Sing about the rainbow, Is there one for me?
Reference: Growing with Music 2 by Wilson, Ehret, Snyder, Hermann and Renna, Prentice-Hall, 1966.
Cardinals for the Children's Corner
Vote for your favorite Children's product or add your own.
Wildlife / Domestic Animals : Northern Cardinal Bird with Sound 6" Plush Stuffed Animal Toy
Each bird is carefully researched, and comes with more...1 point
Breezy Singer Cardinal
This bird will enlighten, amuse, educate and fasci more...0 points
Bird-Opoly Garden Bird Monopoly Board Game featuring; Loon, Gold Finch, Reuby-Throated Hummingbird, California Condor, White Pelica, Swan, Flamingo, Wiood Stork, Bald Eagle, Canada Goose, Great Horned Owl, Pigeons, DOves, Mallard Duck Red Tailed Hawk, Per
BIRD-OPOLY is a game based on our fabulous feather more...0 points
Audubon Northern Cardinal Jigsaw Puzzle 513pc
Part of the Buffalo Games Collectibles series, thi more...0 points
Spring Quartet 500 Pcs
Art by Malcolm Watson, 500+ Pieces, Size: 19" more...0 points
Cardinal Pincher with Sound
The handle of this Pincher triggers flapping wings more...0 points
Cardinal and Magnolia
Cardinal and Magnolia. 4 watt bulb lasts 3000 hour more...0 points
Best of Naturally Native Squids Blog
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byCardinals for Decoration and Enjoyment
Birds - Cardinal Bird - Light Switch Covers - double toggle switch
Cardinal Bird Light Switch Cover is new and handcr more...0 points
Birds - Cardinal Bird - Light Switch Covers - single toggle switch
Cardinal Bird Light Switch Cover is new and handcr more...0 points
Holiday Winter Cardinal Paper Napkins - 192 Cnt.
These napkins measure out to be about 12" x 1 more...0 points
Old World Christmas Ornament Cardinal on a Branch Bird Ornament
Hand Blown Glass Cardinal is hand painted and then more...0 points
Cardinal & Sunflower Stake Feeder
Cardinal & Sunflower Stake Feeder (must order more...0 points
Droll Yankee DCF Dorothys Cardinal Feeder
Dorothy's Cardinal Feeder This is a versatile plat more...0 points
Northern Cardinal Blog Posts from Google
- Cardinal Pagan Bird Symbol of Renewed Vitality: Winged Power ...
- Seeing a cardinal brings cheer on damp winter days which make it the Christmas bird. An Ojibwa legend tells how Red Bird got his colors.
- maya*made: vintage birds and my new cardinal
- Did I need a little inspiration for more bird carving? No, but these images certainly motivated me to put everything aside and return to my flock. I had been wanting to carve a cardinal ever since I drew this silhouette last year. ...
- Southern Lagniappe: A Nature Lesson: Battle of the Birds
- We spent the weekend at my parents' house in West Monroe, Louisiana, and their yard is virtually a sanctuary for all kinds of birds ... from doves and woodpeckers to cardinals and sparrows. There is a feeder right outside one of their ...
- Some birds -- mostly the usual suspects (9 imgs) - Steve's ...
- Yesterday a female Hairy Woodpecker showed up. I have had lots of Downey's. My first Cardinal since late August came yesterday as well. It seems that the birds are around as I hear them but they are not frequenting the feeder. ...
Other Nesting Lenses
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Prothonotary Warblers are Golden
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A small golden yellow bird with blue gray wings darts across the creek. its clear, high, metallic rising "tsweet tsweet tsweet tsweet tsweet" song rings out through the forest. It lands and picks a clump of green moss, then flies to the hole in a ne...
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Carolina Wren's Nest
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The little brown Carolina Wren pair with their perky tails and loud voice builds a nest somewhere around our house each year. This year we photographed their nest in the hanging basket on the porch. This lens contains information about Carolina Wren...
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Nest Box Trails for Bluebirds and Others
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Lawrence Zeleny's book, the Bluebird How You Can Help Its Fight for Survival, alerted the public about the peril of our native Bluebirds. Now people all over North America are building and maintaining Bluebird Trails. Anyone can start their own trail...
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Carolina Chickadees
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Carolina Chickadees are great little cavity nesting birds and nest in early spring. They are permanent residents in the Eastern United States and coexist well with humans since they love sunflower seeds and suet. Chickadees are very under rated and e...
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Red-bellied Woodpecker Family
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The only good thing that Hurricane Katrina did for Southeastern Louisiana was to leave plenty of broken trees in which the woodpeckers and other cavity nesting birds could raise their young. The Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been very prolific this ye...
Tell us your Cardinal Stories.
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Reply
- susannaduffy susannaduffy Nov 8, 2009 @ 4:03 am
- I've always loved this lens about the Cardinal. Blessed by an Angel who loves Animals (squidoo.com/angels-love-animals)
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Reply
- naturegirl7 naturegirl7 Aug 16, 2009 @ 7:30 am | in reply to Cardinal Lover
- I don't recall running across a reference saying that Cardinals mate for life. However I will do some reading in Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, to see if he mentions it.
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Reply
- Cardinal Lover Cardinal Lover Aug 15, 2009 @ 5:51 pm
- Do Cardinals mate for life? Or do they find a new mate each season?
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Reply
- poddys poddys May 27, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
- Great lens and great photos too, 5*****. I used to have 2 pairs of Cardinals in my back yard in Indiana. Such pretty birds.
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Reply
- cindyzlogic cindyzlogic May 5, 2009 @ 12:36 am
- I really liked your Cardinal lens. My husband and I were observing a Cardinal pair today...feeding each other. So they must be working on their second brood. I was going to make a Cardinal Lens from pictures I've taken this past Winter and early Spring. Again, awesome lens, I learned a lot!
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Cardinal Links
Vote for your favorite or add your own to the list.
Northern Cardinal Male - Birds of the Southwest Desert - Ed Bustya's Nature Images
Photo of a beautiful male Northern Cardinal in Ari more...1 point
Northern Cardinal Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards or Anytime Note Cards featuring a more...1 point
Northern Cardinal
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All About Birds: Northern Cardinal
Comprehensive information on North American birds more...0 points
Northern Cardinal
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Northern Cardinal | birding .com
Top North American Bird Fact Sheets - Northern Car more...0 points
eNature.com Nature Guides
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Northern Cardinals
The Northern Cardinal is one of the most popular b more...0 points
Virginia State Bird - Cardinal (Northern)
Videos of Cardinals singing and doing Cardinal thi more...0 points
Northern Cardinal Photos - Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center - National Zoo| FONZ
Gallery of northern cardinal pictures submitted by more...0 points
Cardinal Christmas Cards
A ton of unique Christmas cards with cardinals on more...0 points
by naturegirl7
We are Master Gardeners and... (more)
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