This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 1:07 pm and is filed under Bird Feeders, Bird Information, Feeding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 1, 2008
Cardinals are one of the most commonly seen birds in backyards in the Eastern half of the United States. With its red plumage, it has been named after the Cardinals of the Catholic Church who wear red robes.
Cardinals mate for life and their most preferred breeding habitat includes shrubby areas, thickets or areas with a very dense under growth. It also shows preference for the edges of woods, hedgerows and vegetation around houses. Regular man-made birdhouses which are enclosed are not attractive to this specie. A birdhouse variation known as the platform is a better alternative to offer. The platform is open on all four sides and has corner posts that support the roof, which would in turn offer protection to the nesting birds. Mounting, usually near the ground, is done on walls behind shrubbery, under eaves and on fence lines covered with vines. Generally the height should not go over four feet above the ground.
One of the most effective ways of luring Cardinals to one’s backyard is to plant bushes. They are especially fond of multi-flora rose. They are also excellent birdfeeder guests. In the wild they have a varied diet of fruits, seeds and insects. Backyard feeders, specifically platform feeders will attract them when sunflower seeds or cracked corn are offered. Sunflower seeds are like filet mignon to a cardinal. They will sift through the entire mixture of bird seeds to get to every sunflower seed.
Cardinals are not migratory but rather year-round residents throughout their range. The specie has benefited much from human habitation and supplemental food made available at bird feeders. Humans also benefit from them as they facilitate the dispersal of seeds and perform an important function on controlling pest population. But the most obvious is to have the chance to see for oneself, the beauty of this particular bird specie.
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Cardinal Bird Houses | Birds DunRite…
I love birdhouses and have a wooden one in my garden. It was badly damaged during a recent storm and I was on the lookout for a new one. I found the most exquisite little birdhouse in your site and couldn’t help myself, I bought half a dozen to give …