What Do Cardinals Eat?

Cardinals are small, beautiful birds that are known for their red coloring. When people see male cardinals flock to bird feeders, it’s normal to get excited and admire their vibrant plumage. If you want cardinals to appear in your backyard, it’s important to ask, “what do cardinals eat?” Learning about cardinal diets can help you attract them to your feeder if they live in your area.

What are Cardinals?

Cardinals (birds in the Cardinalidae family) are medium-sized songbirds that have tall crests and thick bills. In all cardinal species, the males have beautiful red feathers while females have brown feathers (although some species are much redder than others). Many people love seeing cardinals flock to their feeders because of their gorgeous appearance.

Since they’re songbirds, they make a variety of unique sounds, including territorial chirps, comforting “took” sounds, and mating songs.

Types of Cardinals

There are currently three species of cardinals: northern cardinals, vermilion cardinals, and desert cardinals. When people think of cardinals, the northern cardinal is the species that usually comes to mind. The males of this species have bright red feathers all over except for a black patch near their face. The females have the same appearance, but brown instead of red.

Vermilion cardinals look very similar, but they have taller crests and larger beaks. The males are often more red-orange than deep red. The third species is the desert cardinal, also known as pyrrhuloxia. Both male and female desert cardinals are mostly gray, but males have red patches near their faces, crests, bellies, wings, and tails.

While there are other species called cardinals, such as red-crested cardinals, they’re not true cardinals. They only gained that name because of their similar appearance.

It is important to know which species of cardinal you want to attract as each cardinal species eats different food.

Where Do Cardinals Live?

Cardinals appear in North and South America, but their range depends on the species. Northern cardinals have the widest range, stretching across the eastern United States, most of Mexico, and some areas of southeastern Canada and southwestern United States. They appear in forests, fields, and backyards.

Desert cardinals appear from the southwestern United States to central Mexico, sticking to dry desert scrublands. Vermilion cardinals only live in semi-arid scrublands of northern South America.

What Do Cardinals Eat?

Most cardinals eat a variety of seeds, grains, and fruits. Some even eat insects and other small invertebrates. The thick bills of these birds make it easy for them to crush the dense shells of certain seeds.

The exact diet depends on the species:

• Northern cardinals: Weed seeds, sunflower seeds, grass seeds, leaf buds, berries, wild fruits, insects
• Vermilion cardinals: Corn seeds, other seeds, fleshy fruits, insects
• Desert cardinals: Weed seeds, grass seeds, mesquite seeds, insects, berries, cactus fruits, other wild fruits

While the above are the preferred foods of each species, their diets may change slightly depending on where they live and what’s available to them. On average, the northern cardinal eats 71% plant matter and 29% animal matter, and the other two species are similar.

What cardinals eat can affect how red they are since carotenoids (pigments found in red and purple fruits) can alter a bird’s coloring. When male cardinals eat more of certain fruits, they may appear redder, similar to how flamingos turn pink because of the shrimp and other aquatic organisms they eat.

Cardinal Feeding Habits

Cardinals typically feed by foraging for food on the ground. You may see them hopping around the ground and pecking at the dirt to gather fallen seeds, grains, and berries. They may also forage in low bushes or trees.

These beautiful red birds commonly seek out bird feeders when searching for food. If the feeder is full of food items they love, they’re not shy about entering human yards to feed. They may land on the feeder or eat fallen bird seed from the ground.

While all cardinal species eat seeds, fruits, and plant matter more than insects, their chicks primarily eat insects because they provide the protein that the young birds need to grow. This unique diet continues for the first few months of a cardinal’s life.

Do Cardinal Diets Change Seasonally?

Overall, cardinals have the same diets year-round. Yet, there are small changes throughout the year. For example, cardinals typically eat more insects than normal during the breeding season to ensure their chicks get enough protein.

However, cardinals eat little to no insects in the winter, focusing primarily on seeds and fruits since it’s hard to find insects in frigid temperatures. Cardinals rely on bird feeders a lot in the winter since finding food is much harder than it is during warmer seasons.

What Do Cardinals Prefer to Eat from Bird Feeders?

Finding out “what do cardinals eat?” can help you attract these beautiful birds to your feeder. Northern cardinals are the most likely to visit yards since they have the widest range and live in areas close to humans.

Cardinals aren’t picky birds, but some foods are more likely to attract them. Sunflowers seeds, safflower seeds, cracked corn, and mealworms are all snacks beloved by cardinals. Make sure the feeder has a platform that cardinals can rest on while enjoying the food.

Keep your bird feeder full for the best results. Consider putting some seeds on the ground near the feeder too since some cardinals are more comfortable feeding off the ground.

Other Tips for Attracting Cardinals

Food isn’t the only thing that can make your yard appeal to cardinals. You should also ensure your property is a comfortable environment. Offer plenty of natural hiding places for the birds, including trees, bushes, and shrubs.

Cardinals also flock towards running water, especially in colder months when non-frozen water is difficult to find. They use running water for both drinking and bathing, so by having food, shelter, and water outside your home, it’s a safe and comfortable place for cardinals to hang out. Cardinals don’t migrate, so offer these aspects year-round.

Use What Cardinals Eat to Attract Them to Your Feeder

Knowing the answer to “what do cardinals eat?” can help you better understand their habits, allowing you to attract them to your yard. Offering a variety of seeds, especially sunflower seeds and safflower seeds, can appeal to cardinals, making them flock to your feeder. By doing this, you’ll have plenty of beautiful red birds to admire while keeping the cardinals happy.