One of the most popular birds, the Cardinal is the official state bird of seven eastern states. Cardinals range from southern Quebec and Ontario to the Gulf States, Mexico to Belize. The Northern Cardinal is a permanent resident throughout its range.
Their habitat includes woodland edges, thickets, suburban gardens, towns. Found in a wide variety of bushe or semi-open habitats in the East, from forest clearings and swamps to city parks, almost anywhere there are some dense bushes for nesting.
Diet:
Mostly seeds, insects, berries. Diet is quite varied. Feeds on many insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, flies and many others including spiders, centipedes an snails. Most of diet is vegetable matter including seeds of weeds and grasses, waste grain, leaf buds, flowers and many berries and wild fruit. Young are mostly fed insects. Readily come to bird feeders for sunflower seeds.
Nesting:
Male sings to defend nesting territory, attacking intruding males. He also attacks his own image in windows and mirrors. Nests are usually well hiden in dense shrubs, vines or low trees, place 3-10 above ground. Nest, built by female, is open cup made of twigs, weeds, grass, bark strips, leaves, rootlets and line with fine grass or hairs.
Eggs:
Usually 3-4, whitish to pale bluish or greenish white, marked with brown, purlple and gray. Incubation is almost always by the female along, 12-13 days.
Young:
Both parents feed the nestlings. Young leave the nest about 9-11 days after hatching. Male may feed fledgings while female begins next nesting attempt. 2-3 broods per year, rarely 4.
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