Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Year-round in CharlotteCommon
Cardinal Grosbeak (Havell pl. 159) — engraved plate of the Northern Cardinal
Cardinal Grosbeak (Havell pl. 159) · Robert Havell after John James Audubon · CC0

The take

North Carolina's state bird, and the first red thing at every Charlotte feeder.

How to ID it

  • Long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest
  • Male brilliant red all over with a black face around a red-orange bill; female pale brown with reddish tinges
  • Sits low in shrubs and forages on or near the ground, often in pairs; gives a loud metallic chip

Field marks at a glance

Size
medium
Head
red crest with black mask
Call
loud metallic chip; clear whistled cheer-cheer-cheer

Where & when

Year-round in Charlotte

Learn more

Sources