Northern cardinals: known in part for their aggression during breeding season, and loved by many regardless. The male has distinctive red plumage and a notable crest. The female is less vividly colored, but is unique in her look. She has beautiful red accents and a massive pink bill. Both male and female adorn a black mask around their eyes and the base of their bill.
Most people love these birds for their color and singing ability. However, we think the most interesting thing about Northern cardinals is their nesting behavior. Northern cardinal nesting behavior and their building techniques are quite fascinating. On top of this, they fully display their massive personalities during breeding season.
About Northern Cardinals
While Northern cardinals prefer dense shrubbery for nesting, seeing them in backyards and suburban gardens is not a rarity. In fact, backyard bird feeders led to the vast expansion of the Northern cardinal’s territory. The species originally habituated Southwestern United States, Mexico, and parts of Central America. Now, they are found across the Midwest and as far up the east coast as Canada. They have also been introduced in Southern California and Hawaii. This widespread territory provides the species protection from endangerment due to climate change and habitat destruction.
There are eighteen subspecies of Northern cardinals. Two groups categorize the subspecies based on size and color, crest size, bill shape, song dialect, and winter flocking behavior. All subspecies share a similar diet. This diet consists of grain, fruit, berries, and seeds. Northern cardinals additionally eat a variety of insects. This is especially true during breeding season. Due to the nature of their diet, they typically eat on the ground.
Northern Cardinals Nesting Behaviors
Now that we are familiar with the species, let’s dive into Northern cardinal nesting rituals and behaviors.
Courtship
Courtship begins at the brink of breeding season. This typically starts in the very late winter or at the onset of spring. When the male and female spot each other, they hold their heads high and sway back and forth as if dancing. They sing softly to one another while doing so. Once paired, the male partakes in feeding the female to strengthen the bond. This is often viewed as a kiss, as their beaks touch to pass the food.
Northern Cardinal Nesting Trends
Once the birds complete courtship, it’s time to find a nesting site. Northern cardinals brood three to four times a year, so nesting starts early. Sometimes the first nest is built before the last snowmelt.
Eggs are typically laid in March, with the last brood laid by mid-August. There is a waiting period between courtship and egg laying because they are meticulously selective. Choosing a satisfactory nesting site takes over two weeks sometimes. On top of this, nest building doesn’t always start immediately once a site is selected. They wait an additional one to two weeks after nest completion. This provides time to ensure the nest is adequate.
Once laid, the female incubates the eggs for eleven to thirteen days. The male brings food to her during the first few days of incubation. Once hatched, both parents feed the fledglings. The male sometimes takes over feeding at the end, allowing the female to begin the nest building for the next brood. Seven to thirteen days later, the chicks leave the nest.
The Northern Cardinal Nest
The Northern cardinal nest rests between branches of a shrub or low tree in a dense thicket. The nest shape resembles a wide, open cup. It is twice as wide as it is high. The average nest is two to three inches tall and four to five inches wide. Its depth is about one and a half inches. The nest is typically well hidden and placed three to ten feet above the ground.
Northern Cardinal Nest Building
The male may collect some nesting materials, but the job of building the nest is largely left to the female. Females shape the nest by softening twigs and wrapping them around their body to form the cup shape. This method also allows them to measure for size. They continue spinning round and round at the center of the nest, pushing the material outward and into place with their feet as they go. They even jump on the material, forcing it into place.
The females’ construction starts with the base of the nest which is made from hardy plant stems and twigs. Next comes the cup, made of smooth materials such as dead leaves. The females then form the inner layer with fine bark strips and thin weed stems. Finally, they add the lining, consisting of rootlets, grass stems, and pine needles. They top the nest off with animal fur for comfort. This results in an insulated, sturdy, and soft Northern cardinal nest- everything a fledgling could wish for!
Interesting Facts About Northern Cardinals
Bonus content! Here are a few fun facts about our beloved Northern cardinals.
- Their red plumage is due to carotenoids attained by eating fruits, such as wild grapes and dogwood berries.
- Northern cardinals are monogamous. Pairs sometimes last a few winters, a few years, or for life.
- Northern cardinal nesting happens at the same breeding territory each year. The pair returns to the same territory time and time again. They do not, however, use the same nest.
- This species loves feeding on black oil sunflower seeds at birdfeeders, preferably tray feeders. Pair this with some shrubbery such as honeysuckle, hawthorn, blackberry, or privet, and you just may find a cardinal nest in your back yard.
- They do not use nest boxes.
- The Northern cardinal nesting season is extraordinarily long. It spans three seasons of the year in some cases- spring, summer, and fall.
- Northern cardinals roost communally in winter and do not migrate.
- It is illegal to disrupt nesting cardinals in the U.S. Do not attempt to move Northern cardinal nests.
- They are parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds. Cardinals cannot tell the difference in the eggs or fledglings. They often raise them accidentally as their own. It is, regardless, no use trying to get rid of the egg. The female cowbird returns to check on the egg, and if it is missing, destroys the Northern cardinal eggs.
- The male protects a territory size of three to six acres when nesting. Males chase away males during nesting, but females also chase other females away during courtship and breeding. Their aggression is severe during this time. They even fight their own reflections in windows, thinking it is an intruding bird.
- They thin out their nest throughout the breeding season to reduce insulation as the weather warms up, protecting the eggs and fledglings from overheating.
