This
is my "before" baby cardinal picture. I was so young and helpless.
I didn't know what to do with my wings and tail (not to mention
my topknot). No two feathers went in the same direction. I just wanted
to crawl back in the nest.
I'll never get the hang of this!
Here's
my "after" picture. Mama showed me where to find sunflower seeds. Yum!
I also got a lesson in preening my unruly feathers.
Daddy helped me with a flying lesson.
See, I'm off the ground.
I don't have to hide in bushes any more. Now I can hide in trees.
Everyone says I take after my
mama's side of the family. I sure hope so. Isn't she pretty?
March
2, 2009 - We finally took a picture of three separate
cardinal couples. These guys plus several white throated
sparrows and a junco are enjoying a safflower snack on several levels.
All three groups of birds have stuck with us during what seems
like a forever winter.
Cardinals are Food Guy's personal favorite bird. He
always gets excited to see them visit the lilac bush and the
covered platform feeder he stocks with safflower seeds.
Those seeds are also tossed right on the ground. Protection
from the weather isn't of much concern when the seeds are
mostly gone at the end of the day. Unfortunately
because of the darkness, pictures can't be taken when the
last cardinals of the day swoop down for their bedtime
snack. We do get to enjoy them often through the
binoculars.
Most days we set the bird view camera on a piece of hard
foam at ground level near this feeder. So far we
haven't yet seen any territorial scuffles. Coming soon, I'll
bet!
January 28, 2009 - Today, according to the weather reports, we are having
the worst snow storm of this winter. Among all the frantic (goldfinches)
and bickering (pine siskins) we saw a pretty and welcome site.
There is nothing like a bright red bird to brighten an otherwise very
white and cold day. We always love to see our three cardinal
pairs, but they congregate at the safflower ground feeder. We placed
this near some distant bushes for their safety, not for the convenience
of picture taking.
The cardinals in warmer weather primarily feed at dawn and at dusk,
making picture taking time a near impossibility in that light. In
winter they feed frequently in order to have the energy to maintain
their body temperature. Because of that and the sharp contrast with the
snow, good photos should be easier to capture. However, they remain
under as much cover as they can find, since they are more exposed to
predators. Less tree coverage, longer eating time and during bright day
light, make the cardinals even more cautious and elusive. So our shy
birds are just as difficult to photograph no matter what the weather.
The cardinals feed peacefully with other ground feeding birds.
In our backyard they and the rest of the ground crew, enjoy
safflower, corn, peanuts and sunflower seeds. This winter at
ground level we have usually been seeing a mixed crowd of
cardinals, mourning doves, juncos, white throated sparrows, crows, and
blue jays.
We've had some difficulty getting good photos
of our cardinals. They spend a lot of time flying from one of our lilac
bushes to the other.
They seem quite content to eat safflower seeds, if not placed too close
to the house. Mourning doves and woodchucks will peacefully
share in the supply scattered on the ground. We can leave these
seeds out at night when we take in the rest of the feeders (black
bears like easy snacks but not safflower seeds).
Cardinals are the most brilliant red (named for the
similar color of church officials' robes. The winter season
wouldn't be the same without their image contrasting with snowy scenes.
In the Northeast we luckily get to see them against
other backdrops too (even if we need to peer in lilac bushes to do so).
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Size:
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Length: 7.5-9 in
Weight: 1.6 oz
Wingspan: 12in
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ID:
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Male: Overall bright red with pointed
crest; black mask and throat; short, conical, red bill;
gray feet anisodactylous (three toes point forward and one toe
points backward)
Female: Shaped like male but buff-brown with reddish crest,
wings, and tail; bill is reddish-orange; mask is grayish black
Juvenile: Similar to female but bill is
blackish
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Habitat:
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Forest edges; thickets; backyards and parks
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Diet:
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Searches ground and low shrubs for seeds,
insects and berries; ground feeders for cracked corn, sunflower seeds, and safflower
seeds
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Family
Behavior:
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Mating Habits: Monogamous and solitary;
male feeds female during courtship and while incubating; males
very territorial and may even attack own reflection; pair remain in
close contact all year, singing to each other; 2-3 broods per
year
Local Breeding Period: Late March to Early
May
Nests: Female builds cup-shaped nest of twigs
and leaves
and lines with grass and hair; placed in low tree or bush
Eggs: 3-4 pale bluish greenish with brown and purple blotches;
mostly female incubates 12-13 days (fed by the male)
Nestlings: Born altricial (helpless, naked, eyes closed) and
stay in nest 12-13 days; fed by both parents; male may tend
fledglings while female incubates next set of eggs
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Social Activities:
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Gregarious; joins
winter mixed species flocks foraging for food
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Range:
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Eastern and southwestern US
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Vocalization:
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Song is what cheer cheer cheer or birdy
birdy birdy; call is a metallic chip
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Sighted in our Backyard: |
Year round |
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Lifespan: |
Up to 16 years |
