Northern Cardinal

A favorite of many, the Northern Cardinal is the state bird of 7 states. A common bird of the eastern and southeastern U.S., the Northern Cardinal has expanded its range westward and northward in the past few decades, possibly due to availability of sunflower seeds and other items at residential feeders. South Dakota currently lies at the northwestern edge of its range.

Habitat:

Wide variety of semi-open habitats with nearby thickets for nesting, including woodland edges and clearings, shelterbelts, parks, and residential areas.

Diet:

Wide variety of items, including seeds, buds, flowers, waste grain, fruits and berries, and insects.

Behavior:

Primarily feeds on the ground, or while moving through low brush and undergrowth. Will also readily adapt to using feeders. Males can be very aggressive when defending nesting territories.

Nesting:

May through August.  The nest of a Northern Cardinal is a cup of grasses, twigs, weeds, strips of bark, and other plant materialo, lined with finer bits of plants.  The female usually lays 3 or 4 eggs, and she alone incubates them, although the male will bring her food during the incubation period.  When the eggs hatch, both parents help to feed them.  The young fledge after about 12 days.

Song:

The song of a Northern Cardinal is a series of sweet music phrases, with each short phrase descending in pitch, and the entire sequence speeding up through the song. There are a number of calls made the Northern Cardinal, including a crisp chek note.

• Click here to hear the song of a Northern Cardinal¹
• Click here to hear the chek calls of a Northern Cardinal²

Migration:

Permanent resident throughout its range

Interactive eBird Map:

Click here to access an interactive eBird map of Northern Cardinal sightings

Similar Species:

In terms of close relatives, the Pyrrhuloxia of the southwestern U.S. is similar but that's not a species you're going to have to worry about in South Dakota.Northern Cardinals could potentially be confused with other red birds in South Dakota.

• Pyrrhuloxia - The Pyrrhuloxia is the closest relative to the Northern Cardinal in the United States, but they are only found in the southwestern US. They have a crest like a Northern Cardinal, but have more gray plumage, compared to the overall red plumage of a male Northern Cardinal, and brownish plumage of a female Northern Cardinal. The bill of a Pyrrhuloxia is also rounder and yellow, compared to an orange, more conical bill of a Northern Cardinal.
• Scarlet Tanager - Scarlet Tanagers are the other very red bird in South Dakota that could be confused with a Northern Cardinal. They're found in the southeastern and northeastern parts of the state. Males are a brilliant red like a male Northern Cardinal, but with black wings and a black tail, while the only black on a male Northern Cardinal is on its chin. Scarlet Tanagers also lack any kind of a crest, and have a longer, less robust bill than a Northern Cardinal.
• Summer Tanager - Summer Tanagers are rare visitors to South Dakota, but with the all-red plumage of a male, they could be confused with a Northern Cardinal. However, Summer Tanagers lack the crest of a Northern cardinal, and have a longer, less robust bill, while male Summer Tanagers lack the black chin of a male Northern Cardinal.

Pyrrhuloxia	Scarlet Tanager	Scarlet Tanager	Summer Tanager

Bird Feeders:

Will attend feeders for sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and various other seeds.

South Dakota "Hotspot":

Not a difficult species to find in the state in proper habitat in the eastern part of the state. Numbers are highest in the southeastern part of South Dakota, where they can easily be found along riparian woodlands, city parks and suburban areas, and the state parks of the area such as Newton Hills State Park, Union Grove State Park, or the Big Sioux Recreation Area.

Conservation Status:

Common and widespread, with range expanding over the last century. Range has expanded to the north and west in the Great Plains, including in South Dakota. Two potential causes have been given.  The first is a large increase in tree cover since European settlement began in North America.  Prior to human settlement, regular fire ensured that tree cover in the Great Plains was limited to riparian areas, draws, or other protected areas. Fire has been removed from the landscape, leading to substantial encroachment of woody plants in the Great Plains. Tree cover has also increased substantially because of the association of planted trees with human development, with cities and towns having extensive tree cover where none existed before, and even farming activity leading to many farmsteads with shelterbelts.  The second potential reason for the increase is climate change, as there's no doubt a warming climate has made the northern fringes of their range more hospitable.  Whatever the reasons, populations are strong and expanding, and the IUCN lists the Northern Cardinal as a species of "Least Concern".

Further Information:

• Audubon - Northern Cardinal
• Texas Parks and Wildlife - Northern Cardinal
• WhatBird - Northern Cardinal

Photo Information:

May 9th, 2004 -- Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls -- Terry Sohl

Additional Photos:

Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Northern Cardinal photos.

Audio File Credits:

• ¹Hinderi Tamminga. Recorded in Ontario, Canada on May 15th, 2019. Original recording and information from xeno-canto.
• ²Isain Contreras Rodriguez. Recorded in Sinaloa, Mexico on March 14th, 2020. Original recording and information from xeno-canto.

Click on the map below for a higher-resolution view

South Dakota Status: Northern Cardinal populations have been expanding their range to the north and west, a trend that also seems to be occurring in South Dakota.  Has now been occasionally found as far west as the Black Hills.

Additional Northern Cardinal Photos
Click for a higher-resolution version of these photos