Cardinals

The Northern Cardinal is an 8 to 9 inch bird with a crest on the top of it's head, an orange beak and 11 inch wing span. The male is bright red with a little bit of black on his face, surrounding his beak. The female is grayish brown with slight flush of red on the wings and tail feathers. She looks like the immature males before they molt into their adult colors but there is a way to tell the difference - the youngsters have dark bills.

Both male and female cardinals sing a "Cheer-cheer-cheer" song. Sometimes the male will sit high up in a tree and call out to his mate and she will answer in return. Then she'll join him and they'll fly off together. Cardinals tend to be shy, sometimes even around other birds.

During courtship season, male cardinals are very territorial to the point of fighting their own reflections in windows and car mirrors. In the spring, I have a male cardinal that sits in the cherry tree outside my bedroom window. He calls and calls until his mate joins him and then they fly off together. During courtship, males will put a yummy bug or seed into the female's mouth to feed her. So romantic!

Northern cardinals feed on seeds, leaf buds, flowers, berries, and fruit. During the summer, about one-third of its diet is insects-beetles, grasshoppers and snails. Cardinals love large seeds, especially sunflower and safflower seeds so keep those feeders filled!

Their messy cup-shaped nests are loosely made from thin twigs and dried grass and are located low - on the ground or in bushes. They prefer park-like places within cities as well as the suburbs and countryside.

Cardinals usually have two families each summer. The males feeds and takes care of the first set of babies while the female attends to the second one.

Northern cardinals lay 2 to 5 eggs in each clutch. The eggs are off-white in color with brownish speckles and hatch in about 12 days. The babies fledge at 10 days.

Cardinals do not migrate. They will, however, leave an area when the weather is too dry or the food supply runs out. They were originally limited to the south-east USA. Around the 1950's they started expanding north into Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. They've moved into the midwestern states, northern Mexico and parts of South America, too. Humans have purposefully introduced them to California, Hawaii and Bermuda.

Here's a video of a singing male cardinal:

Birdhouse Plans for Robins and Barn Swallows

Free plans for building houses for robins and barn swallows plus general tips for all birdhouses:

(click on the plans to make them larger and easier to read)

Helpful hints for all birdhouse constructions:

1. Make a hinged roof or one wall so you can easily clean the house each spring — before April is a good time. Use rust-proof hinges to make this task easier. Nimble-fingered raccoons can open a hook and eye!

2. Drill at least four 1/3-inch holes in the floor for drainage, and two 5/8-inch ventilation holes near the top of each wall of the house.

3. Provide a roof with at least a two-inch overhang on the front to protect the entrance hole from wind-driven rain, and to prevent cats and racoons from reaching in from above.

4. The walls of the house should enclose the floor to keep rain from seeping into the house and nest. Recess the floor ¼ inch up from the bottom of the sides to discourage rotting.

5. Don’t put perches on any bird house. The only birds that prefer them are starlings and house sparrows.

6. On songbird houses keep entrance holes 1 3/8 inches or smaller to keep out starlings and house sparrows.

7. Space nest boxes at least 25 feet apart (300 feet for bluebird houses) to reduce conflicts. Most birds are territorial and protect the area around their nest.8. The inside wall, just below to entrance hole, needs some deep horizontal scratches or grooves. When the birds are ready to come out, they can grab these edges with their toenails to help them climb up and out.

8. Wood is the best material to use. Avoid pressure-treated lumber because when it gets wet it can give off vapors that are poisonous to birds. Preservatives, such as paint or stain, should never, ever be used on the inside. Do not use creosote.

9. Do not use tin cans, milk cartons or metal for nest boxes. They can absorb heat in the summer sun which kills the eggs and young birds.

10. Other animals may take up residence in your boxes, including mice, squirrels, bees and wasps. Do not use sprays. You can either very carefully remove them or put up a few more boxes to make room for everybody.

11. Most houses should be attached to a post, building or tree. Bluebird boxes should not be placed on trees because of cats and raccoons. They are best mounted on poles up high.
,,