Northern Cardinal

Male Cardinal

Female Cardinal

When you think of a cardinal, you think of a happy, friendly, and very red bird. This is a wrong vision. Only the males have a beautiful red coat to fluff about. Females are left with a disgusting brownish-red color. Males use their beautiful color to attract females on to their territory, where they then sing. Males are very terrotorial, and use their loud voice to warn animals and humans when they are coming too close.

Tests have been done showing that a cardinal gets its color from what it eats. When fed red food, it's glow increases, and when fed yellow food, it becomes pale. Cardinals are sadly endangered because of their eggs. The eggs are at high risk, with many predators stealing them to eat. Even chipmunks will go after eggs to eat in the winter.

Mostly, cardinals eat grain and seed and fruit, but on occasion it will eat beetles, and other small bugs. When a pair of cardinals become mates, they stay mates for life. Sometimes, during nesting, the male cardinal will bring food to the female cardinal to help her, as she has to guard her eggs. This is almost like the ways of a penguin, only backwards. The dad, instead of the mom, goes to find food.