Attracting the popular cardinal into your backyard can be done with the use of bird feeders and some wise choices on bird food. Read on for more details on how to invite this well-liked songbird into your garden, and keep them there!
About cardinals
Cardinals are one of the most popular songbirds in North America. Male cardinals are recognizable by their bright red feathers and crested heads. Female cardinals are known by their rather dull red color. Cardinals are non-migratory and will stay in your area as long as there is shelter and a well established supply of food.
Cardinals feed early in the morning and late at night, allowing them plenty of time to serenade you with their songs. Both male and female cardinals are very vocal and will sing through out the year. They usually serenade each other, singing the same song to each other alternately.
Cardinals are known to be seed eating birds but will also eat a number of insects, especially during breeding season. They are also known to eat fruits in the wild and may be attracted by garden plants such as sumac, brambles, dogwood, grape, blueberry, mulberry, elderberry, hackberry, tulip tree, Russian olive and cherry. Cardinals use most of these plants for nesting too.
Cardinal bird feeders
Cardinals prefer to eat from stationary feeders rather than from hanging bird feeders. Gazebo feeders mounted on poles will attract most cardinals. They like feeders that are about 5-6 feet above the ground.
Sunflower seeds are their most favored food. They will typically sort through the entire mix of seeds just to get to all the sunflower seeds. However, they will also eat safflower seeds, cracked corn, bread, peanut butter mixes, nutmeats and white proso millet in the absence of sunflower seeds.
Attracting Cardinals into your Backyard
You can invite Cardinals into your backyard by offering open areas with berry producing shrubs and trees. There should also be some dense hedges for roosting and nesting. Like all other birds, cardinals are attracted to a source of fresh, clean water. A heated bath can be used as a supply of unfrozen water during the winter months and can also be used the whole year. You can also try these bird feeders to attract cardinals:
- A hopper feeder with perches, filled with sunflower or safflower seeds
- A bird feeder specifically designed for sunflower seeds
- A platform bird feeder with sunflower seeds, bread crumbs or safflower.
Available bird feeders
There are a number of available bird feeders in the market today. Here are some feeders specifically designed to suit cardinals.
Cardinal Feeder Sunflower by Vari-craft
o This feeder has a vented reservoir to eliminate condensation and helps keep seeds fresh and dry. It has a roof to protect from rain and has an included hanger. It also features convenient access to the tube for refilling and cleaning. This feeder can hold a variety of seeds like cracked corn, peanut chunks, seed mixes, safflower seeds, sunflower kernels and seeds. This tube can also be used to feed blackbirds, bluebirds, chickadees, doves and others.
Cardinal Classic Window Bird Feeder
o This window bird feed has a large tray design to allow for both large and small birds to feed at your window.
Cardinal Bird Feeder
o This feeder has a perch for birds with the same weight as the cardinal. It has two perches and can either hung or pole mounted.
Opus Top Flight Copper Triple Tube Bird Feeder
o This feeder features a squirrel guard for protection against squirrels and the weather. This attracts a wide variety of birds by allowing you to offer three different kinds of seed at once. Blackbirds, cardinals, chickadees, bluebirds, finches, and doves can use this feeder.
Next Article | Build your own bird feeder
