Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

22 cm (9") Common in eastern United States; just enters southeastern Canada. State bird for Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Thickets, suburban areas, gardens, feeders.

Crested. Stout red bill.

Male: red overall with a black face.

Female: buffy-brown or buffy-olive overall. Red in wings, tail, and crest.

Nonmigratory, adding color and sound to a winter scene.

Song: both sexes sing throughout the year giving such short whistles as "purty purty purty" and a sharp metallic "chink" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

3 photos

Credit: Jen Goellnitz

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Northern Cardinal Portrait

Credit: Larry Bond

Northern Cardinal - HD Mini-Documentary

Credit: James Knott

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Northern Cardinal (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 2

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southwestern United States

result:875-northern-cardinal-female:1:1 Source: 875 Northern Cardinal (Female), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 8

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:875-northern-cardinal-female:2:1 Source: 875 Northern Cardinal (Female), row 2

Northern Cardinal (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 2

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southwestern United States

result:874-northern-cardinal-male:1:1 Source: 874 Northern Cardinal (Male), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 8

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Red, or pink · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:874-northern-cardinal-male:2:1 Source: 874 Northern Cardinal (Male), row 2