Northern Cardinal

The northern cardinal is a mid-sized songbird native to eastern and central North America, instantly recognizable by the male's brilliant all-red plumage, black face mask and prominent crest, while females are a more subdued buff-brown with reddish tinges on the wings, tail and crest. It is a year-round resident across most of its range rather than a migratory bird, favoring woodland edges, gardens and shrubby thickets, where it feeds mainly on seeds, fruit and insects, often visiting backyard feeders. Cardinals are among the few North American songbirds in which the female sings as well as the male, and mated pairs frequently stay together through the year. The species is common and widespread, and it is the official state bird of seven different U.S. states.