Interesting Cardinal Facts

1. Cardinals are non-migratory birds that are attracted to bird houses and feeders especially those with a great supply of food.

2. They gather in big flocks of about 70 birds during winter time and often nest in bushy thickets.

3. When the female cardinal sings from the nest, it may be a sign to the male that she is in need of food.

4. Both male and female cardinals sing but the female normally sings longer and in a more complex melody.

5. The male cardinal is the defender of their breeding territory. In fact, it can spend long hours fighting his reflection he sees in glass surfaces. The brighter red cardinal males prefer territories in thick vegetation, they feed at faster rates and are more successful in reproducing.

6. The young cardinals often go hungry as they defecate after every feeding. After defecating, the parent bird usually takes away the fecal sac and brings it far away from the nest to hide their location from predators.

7. The cardinal is considered as the only red bird with a crest in the entire United States.

8. Its family was given the name cardinal as the bright red color of the male species is very similar to the vestments used by Catholic cardinals.

9. Cardinals are one of the favorite backyard birds in North America because they frequently visit backyards with feeders and bird houses.