What Kind of Birdhouses Do Cardinals Like?

The male northern cardinal is one of teh most recognizable birds in North America.

The beautiful northern cardinal, known for the male's year-round vibrant red plumage, nests in thick tangles and briars throughout the eastern half of the United States. It does not use traditional birdhouses that mimic tree cavities.

Natural Nests

Cardinals, like other birds, skulk in thickets for protection.

Cardinals begin building their nests between late February and early April, using twigs that the female curves to form a cup. The nests are easily found early in the spring season, before the plants are fully leafed out.

Best Strategy

Dense thickets and forest edges naturally attract northern cardinals. Placing a platform-style birdhouse in the thickets may convince a cardinal pair to nest. The platform should have low walls to contain a standard cup-shaped nest.

Courtship Ritual

Cardinals are regular visitors to bird feeders.

Cardinals perform a "kiss." During courtship, the male will secure a seed and present it to the female. As they cock their heads to make the exchange, they mimic a human kiss.

Food Sources

Cardinals eat berries as readily as seeds.

The cardinal's variable diet allows it to remain non-migratory. Although its bill is designed to crack open seeds, cardinals also eat fruits and insects. The availability of these foods help determine nesting sites.

Predators

Female brown-headed cowbirds destroy or remove northern cardinal eggs in order to place their own in the nest in a strategy known as brood parasitism.

References

• Birdhouses 101: Cardinal Birdhouses
• Mass Audubon Breeding Bird Atlas 1: Northern Cardinal
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Northern Cardinal