Northern Cardinal – Taking flight
Cardinalis cardinalis

December – Texas

L=8.75” ...... WS=12” ...... WT= 1.6 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)

Northern Cardinals are familiar and popular birds in the Eastern U.S. due in large part to the male’s brilliant red. While not as readily recognized, the female is equally beautiful with buff tans and muted reds. A sign of the popularity of this bird is that it has been chosen as the state bird in 7 states. New research has correlated the brilliance of the male with higher reproductive success and to territories with higher vegetation density. Also, both male and female plumage brightness positively correlates with superior parental care.

(Reference: Halkin, Sylvia L. and Susan U. Linvale. 1999. Northern Cardinal, The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.) Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Orinthology; Retreived from Birds of North America Online.)

Passerine Birds (<em>Passeriformes</em>)