For those of us who enjoy having backyard birdfeeders, one great pleasure is in having visits from a pair of Northern Cardinals. Their bright colors, cheerful songs, and good behavior make them welcome visitors!

About Cardinals…

The Northern Cardinal is also known in some areas as a redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal or, most often, just as a cardinal. It can be found throughout most of eastern North America and loves woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands. It is a mid-size songbird with a body length of about 8.5 to 9 inches. Its distinctive red crest and dark facial markings make it easy to recognize! The male is territorial, marking out its territory with a song that can consist of a string of two-note chirps, or longer phrases. Athough it mainly eats seeds and grains, it also feeds on insects and fruits. Feeding plays an important part in courtship for cardinal couples!

The Cardinal Kiss

Cardinals are usually monogamous birds that can pair up for a year or longer, and sometimes mate for life. Mated pairs will sing together before nesting. Something you may have seen at your feeder is an endearing courtship behavior: the male will collect food and bring it to the female, feeding her beak-to-beak. Thus the Cardinal Kiss! In nest building, the male brings materials to the female who then builds the nest. Once eggs are laid, the female broods the eggs, but the male usually takes care of feeding the young cardinals once they have hatched. After hatching, the young will fledge 10 to 11 days later.

Cardinals in Folklore and Mythology

Cardinals are good luck! The following tidbits are collected from a number of sources:

• Seen in your dreams, it is a good omen and associated with good fortune.
• Also associated with the number 12, which is considered good luck to native Americans.
• In common folklore, a visit from a cardinal represents a sign from a loved one who has passed.
• Across many cultures, including ancient Egyptian, Celtic, Maori, Irish, Native American tribes, and Hindu spiritualism, birds have often been considered to be messengers of the gods.
• The Choctaw tribe sees the redbird as a matchmaker between a maiden and a brave.
• If you are single and see a cardinal, romance is in your near future.
• The Cherokee associate the cardinal with the sun and one Cherokee myth describes the first Redbird as the daughter of the sun.
• Another Native American tribe associates cardinals with lightning and believe they can predict rain.

Its not surprising at all that this beautiful bird has inspired so many different beliefs!

Popular with State Legislatures as Well

The cardinal is the official state bird of far more states than any other bird. Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia all claim the Northern Cardinal as the state bird. For North Carolina, the cardinal is paired with the dogwood as the state bird and flower.

So if you love this bird, you are in very good company!

On Daniel Art and Yarn

Probably my favorite bird to paint, several paintings and prints are available on this website. Please feel free to take a look.

• Cardinal Couple in the Dogwoods, 8″x16″ Acrylic on canvas
• Cardinal 2″x2″ tiny painting on canvas with easel
• Cardinal in the Magnolias, 8″x10″ Acrylic on canvas
• North Carolina State Bird and Flower: Cardinal in the Dogwood Art Print