Cardinals

Northern cardinals are beautiful songbirds with bright red feathers. The males are red, while females are brown with red tips. They have a pointy crest on top of their heads. Cardinals stay in the same place all year and do not fly south for winter.

Male and Female

Male cardinals are bright red to help attract mates. Females are light brown, which helps them hide on the nest. Both have strong red beaks for cracking seeds. They sing beautiful songs to each other.

Cardinal Songs

Cardinals are known for their pretty whistles. Both males and females sing, which is unusual for birds. They sing to defend their home and talk to their mates. You can often hear them singing early in the morning.

Fun Facts

• Cardinals are the state bird of seven U.S. states.
• Cardinals get their red color from the foods they eat.
• A group of cardinals is called a college or a radiance.

Did You Know?

Male cardinals sometimes feed seeds to their mates beak-to-beak, which looks like they are kissing.