In this video, we learn about the northern cardinal.
QUICK FACTS:
• Lifespan: 15 years (maximum recorded – wild); 28 (maximum recorded – captivity)
• Length: 8.3–9.3 in
• Wingspan: 9.8–12.2 in
• Weight: 1.19–2.29 oz
• Family: Cardinalidae
Description
The northern cardinal, also known as the red cardinal, is a familiar songbird in the Cardinalidae family, which includes grosbeaks and buntings. It is a striking bird.
The male is bright red with a black face mask. The female has a grey mask and an olive-grey plumage with a reddish tinge on the upper wings, tail, and crest. Northern cardinals have red conical bills.
Vocalizations: Call and song
These territorial songbirds have a loud, repetitive, whistly song given by both sexes. Males sing from a high vantage point to mark their territory.
Distribution and range
Northern cardinals are native to the Americas, with the majority of the population in North America. Their range spans from south-eastern Canada through the eastern United States to Central America as far south as Guatemala. Introduced populations have established in Hawaii, Bermuda, California, and Arizona.
Habitat
They occupy a wide range of habitats, including woodlands, woodland edges, forest clearings, shrublands, swamps, thickets, and suburban parks and gardens.
Diet and feeding habits
Their diet comprises mainly grains and seeds and to a lesser extent, other plant foods such as blossoms, sap, and fruit. They also eat insects and other invertebrates. Northern cardinals typically feed on the ground, hopping around while foraging.
Nesting and breeding
Northern cardinals are seasonally monogamous, but extra-pair paternity is not uncommon. They nest in a well-concealed spot amidst dense shrubbery or in a low tree.
The layered cup-shaped nest is made of twigs, leaves, and bark and lined with grasses, stems, rootlets, and other plant fibers. Three or four eggs are laid, and the incubation period lasts roughly twelve days. The nestlings fledge about ten days after hatching.
Status and conservation
The species has a vast range and a large stable population. The northern cardinal has been evaluated as “least concern” by the IUCN.
You can read more about Northern Cardinal here - [ Ссылка ]
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