[Cardinalis cardinalis]
Northern Cardinals are one of my favorite sights to see, and one of the first birds I could identify on my own. Usually in a pair, I'll spot the males before the females... I like to think the boys make little tours of my yard first to make sure it's safe for their girls! A group of them is called a Conclave, or a Vatican of Cardinals!
Northern Cardinals mate for life, stay by their mate's side year-round, and can be seen singing together before nesting. During courtship, the males will collect seeds to feed to their girls beak-to-beak.. breakfast in bed, anyone?
At about 9 inches with a wingspan of about 12 inches, Northern Cardinals are super easy to spot! The brilliant crimson of their feathers and thick beak is broken only by their black masks, and all Northern Cardinals have a large crest. Females are a dull, brownish-red, but still sport a crest and have a thick red beak.
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