The Northern Cardinal

Image taken September 2015. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known... more

by Gina Sullivan

Title

The Northern Cardinal

Artist

Gina Sullivan

Medium

Photograph

Description

Image taken September 2015. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird or common cardinal. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico. It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
The northern cardinal is a mid-sized songbird with a body length of 21 cm (8.3 in). It has a distinctive crest on the head and a mask on the face which is black in the male and gray in the female. The male is a vibrant red, while the female is a dull reddish olive. The northern cardinal is mainly granivorous, but also feeds on insects and fruit. The male behaves territorially, marking out his territory with song. During courtship, the male feeds seed to the female beak-to-beak. A clutch of three to four eggs is laid, and two to four clutches are produced each year. It was once prized as a pet, but its sale as a cage bird was banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
Featured in the groups "Pleasing The Eye", "Images That Excite You", "All About Nature"
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Featured snippet from the web
Cardinals have been surrounded by spirituality for centuries. High ranking Catholic figures are called cardinals and wear deep red robes. Native American cultures believe that cardinals are the daughter of the sun and if you see a cardinal flying towards the sun you will have good luck

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September 2nd, 2015