The Northern Cardinal

By Daniel Kilibarda

Stages of Life

Introduction

A flash of red, a loud, metallic chirp, followed by a quick flight onto the ground to eat some seeds, this is the life of the Northern Cardinal. Read more to find out why this majestic bird warms of the heart of so many birders around the country.

A baby cardinal before its eyes open.

A male cardinal feeding its young.

Northern Cardinal

Did you know that cardinals mate for life? Did you know that once they find a home, they usually stay in the same area for the rest of their lives? These are just of the interesting facts about the life of the Northern Cardinal. Most nesting pairs lay between 2-5 eggs at a time. The female cardinal lays one egg a day and when the last egg is laid, she starts incubation. It usually takes 14 days for the eggs to hatch. The young birds usually leave the nest after 11 days and fly by the 20 th day of their life! Most birds then go on to live a happy life of 13-14 years.

HabitatDid you know?The longest recorded life of a cardinal was 28 years.

Cardinals don’t molt. That means they never change color once they become adults!

Female cardinals build their own nests from twigs, leaves and grasses. Most are found at about 8 ft off the ground, but some can be found as high as 30 ft!

This is the range of the northern cardinal.

The Northern Cardinal is a year round resident of the Eastern U.S., and has been moving to the north and the southwest during the 20th century.

Cardinals prefer brushy woodlands, streamside thickets, orchards, swamps, suburban gardens and parks. They like to roost and nest in dense thickets, evergreens and privet hedges.

Cardinals are seed eaters. One way to attract them to your backyard is providing both a food source and shelter. Cardinals like open areas with trees to provide protection from their predators.

Click here to hear the song of the cardinal

Vocabulary

habitat- the natural home or environment of an animal (bird)

incubate- sit on (eggs) in order to keep them warm so they hatch

molt- shed old feathers

range- the area that an animal is known to live

roost- a place where birds gather or congregate

Bibliography

National Audobon Society: Field Guide to Birds

The Sibley Guide to Birds

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/lifehistory

http://www.wildbirdsforever.com/cardinal.html

http://www.birdjam.com/birdsong.php?id=3

http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/support-files/northern-cardinal-life-cycle.pdf