cardinals

Wheezer's Notes:
Cardinals are one of the most beautiful birds to visit backyard feeders. The male is the bright red color that led to this bird being called a "Redbird" by many. The female (pictured at left) is less dramatically colored -- mostly brown with red tinges on wings, tail and tuft. Both males and females will frequently visit feeders stocked with black oil sunflower seeds. Normally their feeding time is late in the evening just before dark. The juvenile cardinal can be identified by its coloration similar to the female except the juvenile has a dark colored beak. See photo at left. The Northern Cardinal is the state bird for the States of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia making it the most popular choice for state bird.

Range:
Latest Breeding Bird Survey with at least some areas of concentrations of Northern Cardinals is shown here: USGS Patuxent Bird Identification Center

More Information About Cardinals (and some great photos!):
Cornell University