![]() ![]() They will form flocks with many different species of birds like Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, and American Goldfinches. There have been instances where these birds have injured themselves by fighting with their own reflections because they think they're fighting with intruders.ĭespite their territorial nature during the breeding season, Northern Cardinals let their guard down in the winter. They demonstrate their anger with a sharp tink-tink-tink call and a lowering of their crest, then they attack by dive-bombing. The males, and sometimes even the females, are quick to fight off intruders. ![]() Females will sing when they are in the nest as a way of signaling to their mate to bring them food.Ĭardinals are very territorial birds, especially during the breeding season. Unlike many species of songbirds where only the males can vocalize, both male and female Northern Cardinals can sing. In both cases, the feathers do eventually regrow! This is a natural part of their molting cycle however, in some cases, mite or parasite infestations can contribute to this temporary baldness. Northern Cardinals will occasionally lose all the feathers on their heads and show bare black or dark gray skin. If these pigment-triggering foods are in short supply, their feathers may fade to a more brownish colour. There are still some unknowns around why Cardinals "ant", but it is believed that the ants eat or repel feather parasites! The formic acid secretions by the ants can also prevent the growth of bacterial and fungal infections.Ĭardinals get their red feathers from food! The red pigment in the male Cardinal’s feathers come from carotenoids in the foods that they eat, like berries. This courtship display looks a lot like kissing.Ĭardinals sometimes partake in a behaviour known as "anting" by which they purposely place red ants on their feathers. During courtship, males prove their strength by finding seeds for the female and feeding them to her one at a time, from his beak to hers. Since these birds are much more than just their beautiful feathers we would like to share a list of 8 things you might not know about Northern Cardinals:Ĭardinals are monogamous birds that pair up for a year or longer, although some couples mate for life.
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