Male Northern Cardinal (WikiMedia)

Are you fortunate enough to live in an area where you see cardinals?

Are you interested in trying to attract cardinals to your porch, patio, deck, balcony, or other small outdoor space?

How Likely a Cardinal Visit?

If you live east of the Rockies and between southern Canada and northern Guatemala, you are more likely to see a cardinal, specifically the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis (range map).

Another cardinal, the Pyrrhuloxia, or Gray Cardinal, is found only in the southern edge of the country, along the Mexican border and into Mexico. The Vermilion Cardinal is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

Within the above regions, you're more likely to see a cardinal from your porch, patio, deck, or balcony if you live near a green space.

Cardinals may not visit balconies on the third story or higher and may not visit a small outdoor space overshadowed by other buildings.

Cardinals are not migratory, so you may see them at any time of year. In fact, cardinals don't stray far from the location where they hatched, unless they're drawn by a food or water source.

Attracting Cardinals

• Feeding: sunflower seed in ground feeders, platform feeders, or tube feeders with trays
• Watering: the usual birdbath or other water source
• Housing: nearby young evergreens, thickets, or briars (they don't seem to prefer nest boxes)

In addition to sunflower seeds, cardinals will also eat almost any kind of fruit, seed, or insect. You can offer peanut butter, suet, corn, or even mealworms.

Is it a Cardinal?

Looks

The large head crest and heavy, conical bill on all cardinals, as well as the flashy red of the male Northern Cardinal, are the most eye-catching features.

Female Northern Cardinal (WikiMedia)

The Northern Cardinal has a face mask, black on the male, gray in the female. The male is bright red, the female a grayish tan with red in the crest, tail, and wings. Hear its songs, courtesy of Cornell.

Pyrrhuloxia (WikiMedia)

The Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) lacks the dark face mask and is a little taller and is gray in color with red tail and wings. The male has a brighter red face, with a red line down the breast. Hear its songs, courtesy of Cornell.

Interesting Facts

• cardinals mate for life
• male cardinals are so territorial they may attack their own reflection in a window or car mirror
• the Northern Cardinal is also known as the Redbird and the Virginia Nightingale