Birds › Backyard › Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Both males and females sing. A female often sings from the nest, probably telling the male when to bring food.

In your real yard: Black-oil sunflower or safflower seed on a platform feeder, and dense shrubs for nesting.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Backyard habitat (Eastern North America).

Northern Cardinal facts

Family

Cardinals and allies

Length

8.7 in (22 cm)

Wingspan

11 in (28 cm)

Weight

1.6 oz (45 g)

Diet

Seeds, fruit and insects; chicks are fed mostly insects.

Range

Eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada, Mexico and northern Central America.

Nest

A cup of twigs, bark strips and grass hidden in a dense shrub, built by the female.

Song

Loud, clear whistles like "cheer-cheer-cheer" or "birdie-birdie-birdie", and a sharp metallic chip.

Active

at dawn, by day and at dusk

Status

Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Northern Cardinal sounds like

How to attract the Northern Cardinal

Feeder foods, favorite first: sunflower seed, millet, peanuts. Feeders that hold them: tube feeder and platform feeder. Keep a bird bath full, too.

In the game: fill a feeder with sunflower seed, millet and peanuts and keep the bird bath full. It is a common visitor.

More: bird songs and calls, what to feed birds.

More birds of the backyard

Blue JayBackyardAmerican GoldfinchBackyardAmerican RobinBackyardBlack-capped ChickadeeBackyardTufted TitmouseBackyardDowny WoodpeckerBackyard