Winterguide 2012

Some facts about the Northern Cardinal:

“Feather color results from ingestion and deposition of carotenoid pigments obtained from the diet.”
“Female song from the nest appears to provide the male with information about whether to bring food to the nest.”
–Bird Feathers: A Guide to North American Species, by S. David Scott and Casey McFarland

“Cardinals are resident species and do not migrate any significant distance. Both males and females sing. This is unusual in the passerine world where typically just males sing. I’ve banded cardinals in past jobs, and they can bite really hard!”
– Mike Windsor, Staff Naturalist, Maine Audubon

National Audubon Christmas Bird Count for Greater Portland, 2009-2010
–audubon.org