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Cardinal Bird Houses? Don't Count On It!

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Cardinal Bird House

The brilliant red color associated with the male Northern Cardinal make it very easy to recognize and a favorite among even the least enthusiastic bird watcher. The female cardinal is a darker gray with red accents. These popular birds make their home throughout the eastern portions of the United States and do not migrate south for the winter. Cardinal sightings in the winter and upon snow covered landscapes are a welcome sight for all. Cardinals are also well known for their sweet whistle which can be heard throughout the day as males and females flirt back and forth.

Male and Female Cardinals
Male and Female Cardinals

Don't count on a family of cardinals taking up residence in your new bird house next spring since they are open nesting birds. Only cavity nesting birds will come to live in a man-made bird house. Cardinals and other open nesters prefer to build their own nests in shrubs, bushes and underbrush vines that might be found in your backyard or neighborhood parkland.  Their nests can be found anywhere between 2 and 12 feet from the ground and especially near the edge of a lawn or meadow. The best way for you to help them play house is to make all the construction materials readily available. Simply hang a wire cage and fill it with their favorite nesting materials. Cardinals prefer twigs, off cuts of fiber, wool and feathers.

Cardinals welcome just about any type of bird feeder you provide and will fight other birds for the opportunity to call it their own. If given a choice, cardinals tend to prefer a stationary feeder over a hanging feeder and the more descriminating cardinals will look for a feeder that is 5-6 feet off the ground. The cardinal's preferred food is the sunflower seed, although they will also eat nuts, berries, insects, and bread. If offered a blend of seeds, the cardinals are known to pick through the sunflower seeds first before settling for the other seeds.

If you provide the right habitat, the majestic birds are likely to remain as guests in your yard for a number of years. Once they establish a home in your yard, they will fight other birds aggressively to defend it. They may wander a few miles in the winter to find food and water, but they will return home. A heated bird bath in the winter will provide them with a welcome source of unfrozen water for both drinking and bathing. A slow sprinkler in the summer months will provide entertainment for both you and the cardinals.