Birds of Bartow County ~ Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinals are one of our most beautifulbirds. The male is the only red bird with a crest. (The other all-red is the male Summer Tanager which doesn't have a crest.) The female Cardinal is a beauty with her red-brown color and also sports a crest.

Since they don't molt into dull colors for winter, they look great on a dreary winter's day and striking against a tree covered with snow! It is perhaps the most loved of all songbirds. Seven states have chosen it as their state bird. They are doing well and are slowly expanding their range farther north.

Cardinals shun deep forests. They do like hedgerows, thickets, suburban gardens/yards and the edge of woodlands. You will also find them in our Parks. I often see them along our roadsides.  

They are the first at my bird feeders in the morn and the last to visit at dusk. Sunflower seeds are their seed of chioce. They will also eat suet cakes. My homemade cakes will make them come back for more. 

The male is a vibrant and cheery songster. Not many female birds sing but this one does....just not as loud. No less than 28 different song and calls have been counted. No wonder they have confused me at times! 

They get an early start nesting and continue later. They can have up to four broods here in Georgia. One thing that is cool is that the male helps feed and teach the fledgings how to visit a feeder. Watching them has given me hours of entertainment. This is better than any show on TV!

Visit this link to get the latest news on the Bluebird hatchlings.

Peace and Happy Birding!

Jean is a host on Birds & Blooms Magazine’s Community Forums and is the lone, bird crazy author of the blog The Joy of Bird Watching and Living a Simple Life.