Bird ID

Northern Cardinal

The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps the overall favorite backyard avian visitor.

Identification: Gifted with a shade of red that is pleasing to the eyes and inspiring to the soul. Even the brown females with their warm red accents and crowning crest are a welcome presence to backyards across America. Their many songs and calls are rich with sweet whistles and distinct metallic chips.

Habitat: Cardinals are normally present and nest in the dense foliage of forest edges, overgrown fields and backyards.

Diet: Their primary diet consists of seeds, fruits, and insects. Favorite seeds include sunflower, safflower and peanut pieces. Our “Carrolton Cardinal Mix” is blended and packaged fresh weekly with only their favorites.

Feeder: Being a natural ground feeder, their favorite feeder format is a flat open tray with or without a roof. Avian Acres’ has numerous feeder options for your cardinals.

Placement: When placing a feeder tray for cardinals carefully consider sightlines to and from the feeder. Cardinals are cautious and methodical in their approach and prefer feeders where their visibility is uninhibited. Also cardinals shy away from the competition, so keeping other species busy at other feeders will go a long way to attracting great numbers of this favorite backyard visitor. See: Separating the Species

Testimonial: I remember one cold winter day hurrying to the window and being rewarded with an incredible sight of no less than 29 cardinals. It was an early December morning after a fresh heavy snow and the only visitors present were male and female cardinals. Truly a memorable and inspiring morning!

Bob Thomas

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