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Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

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Cardinalis cardinalis by EricBrian
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Order
Passeriformes
Family
Cardinalidae
Genus
Cardinalis
Species
cardinalis
Regional

This bird has been reportedly found in the following regions:

Albertville, Alabama

Bessemer, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama

Vincent, Alabama

Tucson, Arizona

Blythe, California

Imperial Beach, California

New Milford, Connecticut

North Haven, Connecticut

Sandy Hook, Connecticut

Dover, Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware

Alford, Florida

Bartow, Florida

Beverly Hills, Florida(2 reports)

Big Pine Key, Florida

Brandon, Florida

Brooksville, Florida(2 reports)

Daytona Beach, Florida

Dunnellon, Florida

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida(2 reports)

Lake City, Florida

Lakeland, Florida

Melbourne, Florida

North Port, Florida

Ocala, Florida

Pompano Beach, Florida

Quincy, Florida

Sebastian, Florida

Spring Hill, Florida

West Palm Beach, Florida

Winter Springs, Florida

Buford, Georgia

Byron, Georgia

Cumming, Georgia

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Kingsland, Georgia

Locust Grove, Georgia

Marietta, Georgia

Snellville, Georgia

Algonquin, Illinois

Cherry Valley, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois

Collinsville, Illinois

Divernon, Illinois

Homewood, Illinois

Lombard, Illinois

Madison, Illinois

Westchester, Illinois

Coatesville, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana(2 reports)

Memphis, Indiana

Michigan City, Indiana

Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Sioux Center, Iowa

Sioux City, Iowa

Yale, Iowa

Herington, Kansas

Shawnee Mission, Kansas

Wichita, Kansas

Benton, Kentucky

Bowling Green, Kentucky(3 reports)

Cadiz, Kentucky

Ewing, Kentucky

Hebron, Kentucky

Alexandria, Louisiana

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Deridder, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

Vacherie, Louisiana

Dixfield, Maine

Cambridge, Maryland

Clinton, Maryland

Linthicum Heights, Maryland

Halifax, Massachusetts

North Attleboro, Massachusetts

Saugus, Massachusetts

Beaverton, Michigan

Dearborn, Michigan

Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Paw Paw, Michigan

Remus, Michigan

Royal Oak, Michigan

Traverse City, Michigan

Albertville, Minnesota

Anoka, Minnesota

Hamel, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saint Michael, Minnesota

Biloxi, Mississippi

Golden, Mississippi

Natchez, Mississippi(2 reports)

Brunswick, Missouri

Cole Camp, Missouri

Conway, Missouri

Gerald, Missouri

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Robert, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri

Bellevue, Nebraska

Atkinson, New Hampshire

Brookline, New Hampshire

Merrimack, New Hampshire

Beachwood, New Jersey

Marlton, New Jersey

Piscataway, New Jersey

Toms River, New Jersey

Binghamton, New York

Brooklyn, New York

Croton On Hudson, New York

Fayetteville, New York

Himrod, New York

Livingston Manor, New York

Middle Village, New York

North Tonawanda, New York

Ridgewood, New York

Rochester, New York

South Richmond Hill, New York

Southold, New York

Staten Island, New York

West Islip, New York

Yonkers, New York

Asheville, North Carolina

Cary, North Carolina(2 reports)

Concord, North Carolina

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Graham, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Bucyrus, Ohio

Carrollton, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio(2 reports)

Corning, Ohio

Dayton, Ohio

Guysville, Ohio

Haskins, Ohio

Hilliard, Ohio

Lebanon, Ohio

North Ridgeville, Ohio

Oak Harbor, Ohio

Sidney, Ohio

Williamsburg, Ohio

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Bangor, Pennsylvania

Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania

Erie, Pennsylvania

Irwin, Pennsylvania

Meshoppen, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Saint Thomas, Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Whitehall, Pennsylvania

Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

West Kingston, Rhode Island

Edisto Island, South Carolina

Greenville, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Saint Helena Island, South Carolina

Summerville, South Carolina(2 reports)

Yankton, South Dakota

Clarksville, Tennessee

Elizabethton, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee(2 reports)

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Ooltewah, Tennessee

Sevierville, Tennessee

Summertown, Tennessee

Austin, Texas(2 reports)

Bullard, Texas

Cleburne, Texas

Conroe, Texas

Copperas Cove, Texas

Crosby, Texas

Deer Park, Texas

Edinburg, Texas

Euless, Texas

Fort Worth, Texas

Helotes, Texas

Houston, Texas(4 reports)

Kaufman, Texas

La Porte, Texas

Mc Kinney, Texas

Needville, Texas

New Braunfels, Texas

Paris, Texas

Pflugerville, Texas

Red Oak, Texas

San Antonio, Texas(2 reports)

Troup, Texas

Tyler, Texas

Waco, Texas

Weatherford, Texas

Essex Junction, Vermont

Alexandria, Virginia(2 reports)

Ashburn, Virginia

Chesapeake, Virginia

Edinburg, Virginia

Gate City, Virginia

Hurt, Virginia

Newport News, Virginia

Penhook, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Roanoke, Virginia

Sterling, Virginia

Walkerton, Virginia

Petersburg, West Virginia

Appleton, Wisconsin

Chilton, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Waukesha, Wisconsin

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Gardener's Notes:
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15 positives 3 neutrals 0 negative
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A

AmyInNH

Brookline, NH | August 2019 | Positive
They look to prefer evergreens. With a big feeder of sunflower seeds up against my bedroom patio doors, they're regulars at predominantly dawn and dusk. Generally very skittish, but occasionally give the squirrels a piece of their mind, when the squirrels are too long at the feeder.
P

PriscillaKing

Gate City, VA | August 2018 | Positive
Not sure how many generations have been year-round residents and pets at my home...since 1971. From the human point of view everything about these birds is good. They're too small and too territorial to be messy, they look cute, they sound cheering, they eat insects, and they eat my privet seeds in winter and keep the privet from becoming the Invasive Nuisance some people fear! If they also eat an occasional berry or cherry, they've earned it.
p

papa1

Dearborn, MI (Zone 5b) | July 2018 | Positive
I have a Cardinal in my yard that has learned he can "talk" me into putting seed out for him. Oftentimes, when he sees me in the yard, he will follow me around up in the trees peeping. That prompts me to put some safflower seed out for him and he readily devours it. Sometimes the female will show up to share.
V

VooDooU

Yankton, SD | May 2017 | Positive
I found this guy happily riding my peonies of pests in Yankton , SD
M

MICardinal

Beaverton, MI | February 2016 | Positive
After two years of planting just the right plants and setting up a few feeders, they have come. Lord, the Norther Cardinal is such a beautiful sight in the middle of a dreary winter. There are almost 20 of them living in my trees.

We are building a new home on 14 wooded acres and have already worked with a local nursery to add several bird-favorite plants in gardens being cut into the woods along our walking trail. My hope is, "If you plant it, they will come!"
h

henrimonet

Cary, NC | June 2012 | Neutral
Two years ago I noticed what I can only describe as a male 'bald-headed' Cardinal in my yard. At the time a visitor told me it was that way due to eating wet birdseed... Last year the bird simply disappeared and I assumed it had died. However this past spring he reappeared and since that time my yard has come alive with about a half-dozen bald-headed Cardinals, both male and female, all seemingly living in harmony and nesting with regular appearing birds. Today I counted another couple of young birds, all bald-headed. My question: Has anyone else noticed this among their backyard Cardinal population? If so, do you have any idea what causes this condition? And finally, is this condition hereditary or is it merely conincidence? Doc Thorne, Cary NC.
2

2onions

Naples, FL (Zone 10b) | September 2011 | Positive
These birds visit my feeders mostly at sunrise and sunset year round. In the summer there is one pair that dominates. In the winter they flock together. It is a beautiful sight to see the brilliant red of the males and the softer buff of the females in the fading light against the bleak brown winter landscape. Sometimes there are as many as three dozen at one time.

f

flashgarden

Houston, TX (Zone 9a) | July 2011 | Positive
I've recently hung bird feeders and it is wonderful to see these beautiful cardinals come to enjoy their seeds. I have two feeders in a tree and then I spread seed on the ground. They like to get on the ground almost more than the feeders. Both the females and the males take advantage of the free food! I even saw a small baby cardinal on the ground. I'm making a bird city with more feeders and a bird bath. I plan on buying quite a few bird houses and have about 6 or 7 on poles but fixed where I can clean them out. I will grow blooming vines up the poles. I've never done this so if not such a good idea, need comments. I have even had woodpeckers come to my feeders.
p

pikeman

Pflugerville, TX | July 2011 | Positive
We have several families of these birds in our neighborhood and they frequent our yard every day. I've planted a bee, bird, butterfly and hummingbird habitat, so they like it. Additionally they are very enthusiastic in the bird bath. It always needs some more water when they are done. And they also are drawn to the sprinkler, perching in a bush while it gets hit with the water.
C

Carolina_Birder

Summerville, SC | August 2010 | Positive
There is a male and female who visit my feeders year round. In the early summer I also had three juveniles visit for a short while. They are very pretty birds and are very loyal in coming to visit multiple times a day.
t

tvksi

Paris, TX (Zone 7b) | June 2010 | Positive
When I was a child I lived in an area of heavy winter snow and cedar trees. The snow was wet and piled up on the branches and in this almost totally white world only the green underside of the branches peeked out and darting and picking were seemingly a dozen of these beautiful birds, like live ornaments on a Christmas tree. 70 some odd years and the site is still clear and beautiful in my memory. I really feel blessed when Mother nature allows me to witness such beauty.

The photography is not no great, but here is a scene in my back yard of parents feeding a fledging.
g

garden_geezer

Biloxi, MS | June 2010 | Positive
At least two pair are residents and look to me for their daily
sunflower seeds. One recently landed on my head while waiting.
Successful nesting this year has required a whole lot more seed
when they brought the fledgelings to the feeder.
S

SaberLily

Winchester, VA (Zone 7a) | June 2010 | Positive
You haven't really lived in Virginia until you've seen one of these beauties (VA is one of the states designating the cardinal as state bird). They can be seen at any time of the year, but they are most striking in the winter months when there is less foliage, and ideally against a backdrop of snow.

While rather shy, they aren't afraid to muscle in past the juncos at the feeder during winter (juncos are not particularly aggressive, but they tend to bogart the feeder).
n

nutsaboutnature

Algonquin, IL (Zone 5a) | April 2010 | Positive
We have a lot of these beautiful birds in our area. We see them all day long at our feeders, in the trees & on the ground, but their favorite times to feed are at dawn & dusk. If you look closely just before dark, you might see quite a few of them gathered around a feeder or on the ground.

In Spring a male will sometimes feed a female a "tidbit" of food. It's very sweet. It looks like he gives her a quick kiss, but if you're lucky, you might spot him pick up a sunflower seed or other goody & feed it to her.

There's so much to love about Northern Cardinals & apparently a lot of people do. I believe 7 states call it their "State Bird", including my state of Illinois.
b

beckygardener

(Becky) in Sebastian, FL (Zone 10a) | October 2009 | Positive
There is a nice sized population of these birds in my immediate area. They come to my single bird feeder several times a day. I see them flying in and out of my backyard in the late afternoons. They appear to be playing chase with each other. They aren't easily frightened by me. (Probably because I feed them.)

They are truly beautiful birds and a joy to watch!
d

dwelpgarden

Beverly Hills, FL | May 2009 | Neutral
A little bird flew into our home yesterday. We took it outside and after a few minutes it flew to a nearby bush. As soon as it took off a pair of cardinals followed into this bush. I'm trying to identify this bird. I have photos.
M

Malus2006

Coon Rapids, MN (Zone 4a) | January 2009 | Neutral
For my yard, the Northern Cardinal is a shy bird who comes to the bird feeder certain times of year, mostly the coldest of winter, but also once in a while in spring and fall - usually the pairs are together.
p

plantladylin

(Zone 1) | December 2008 | Positive
The Northern Cardinal is a very common bird, and a favorite for many of us! The male is very recognizable because of it's vivid red color and black mask. The female is more subdued in coloration, a brownish color with some reddish markings. I love it's sweet little song, and so enjoy seeing them at the feeders. Their diet consists of wild fruits, seeds and occasionally insects. They especially seem to love sunflower seed.

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