Cardinals are a welcome sight for northerners. There is seldom a more welcome sight on a blustery winter day than the flashy red male cardinal and his attractive mate. Even their call, an exuberant “cheer, cheer, cheer” brightens up a dreary day.
Cardinals are frequent visitors to the Northeast, but the Northern Cardinal was not always a northern bird—it was originally a bird of the southeast. As early settlers moved west and northward along the Mississippi River, they cleared the land of dense forests and the cardinal followed, preferring the more open terrain
By the early 1900’s, cardinals had reached southernmost Canada, and by the 1940’s and 50’s they had expanded northeast into New England. It’s very likely that the popularity of bird feeding also contributed to the cardinal’s expansion. Cardinals are can be commonly spotted as far west as Kansas, and as far south as Texas, with some smaller local populations in certain regions of New Mexico and Arizona as well.
Bird Foods That Cardinals Love
It’s easy to attract beautiful cardinals to your yard. They enjoy a diet of seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. There are a lot of bird seed choices that will appeal to them. As with most backyard birds, cardinals also love black oil sunflower seed. Interestingly, they are one of the few birds that enjoy safflower seeds, which most squirrels and some birds are known to dislike due to the bitter taste.
Try offering them Duncraft’s special blend–Cardinals’ Delight, with sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts and chips and safflower seeds. Mixes with dried fruit are also readily accepted by cardinals. They love the Fruit Berry Nut Blend, which includes dried cranberries and raisins.
In summer, you can offer cardinals fresh fruit, too. They like chopped grapes and apples, and you can even try putting out some banana or watermelon. Replace the fruit if it becomes moldy. Cardinals also love insects, so consider offering them a treat of live, dried, or canned mealworms.
Bird Feeder Styles That Cardinals Love
Cardinals are big birds that can’t cling to mesh feeders, and they will sometimes avoid feeders with small perches. They usually won’t use a feeder that sways in the wind, or one that they struggle to balance on. Since they usually prefer eating from the ground level, a feeder such as the Clearview Roof Ground Platform Feeder is perfect for them. The roof on this model works great for keeping rain and snow off the food. You can use this style of feeder to offer seeds, fruits, or mealworms to your backyard friends.
Cardinals will also come to an elevated platform feeder with or without a roof, such as Duncraft's Eco-Strong Double Decker Feeder. Large hopper feeders with ample perching room, such as the Absolute feeder, are ideal for cardinals as well.
Cardinals are non-migratory birds, typically spending their lives within an 8 square mile area. So if you do attract cardinals, you’ll be seeing the same individuals all year round. With the right feeder, some black oil sunflower seed, and treats of fruit and mealworms, you’ll be enjoying beautiful cardinals in no time! Shop duncraft.com today for bird feeders, seed and more. Happy Birding!
