Common Nesting Birds

meet your neighbors

Change Species:

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Photo © Debbie McKenzie

Northern Cardinal Nest in Holly Tree

Photo © Judy Timmerberg

Northern Cardinal Nest in Palm Tree

Photo © Martha Sharifi

Northern Cardinal nest

Photo © René Corado

Northern Cardinal eggs

Photo © René Corado

Male

Photo © Suzie McCann | Macaulay Library

Female

Photo © Peter Finley | Macaulay Library

Juvenile

Photo © Andrew Lyall | Macaulay Library

Female

Photo © William Kidwell | Macaulay Library

Male

Photo © Tom Amico | Macaulay Library

Male

Photo © Paul Tavares | Macaulay Library

Female

Photo © Wen Xu | Macaulay Library

Male

Photo © Susan Carpenter | Macaulay Library

Song (Common)

© Jay McGowan | Macaulay Library

Song (Common)

© Bob McGuire | Macaulay Library

Song (Common)

© Glen Chapman | Macaulay Library

Song (Common)

© Wil Hershberger | Macaulay Library

Duet (Common)

© Sylvia L. Halkin | Macaulay Library

Calls (Common)

© Bob Nieman | Macaulay Library

Calls (Common)

© Brad Walker | Macaulay Library

Calls (Common)

© Bob McGuire | Macaulay Library

Calls (Common)

© Jay McGowan | Macaulay Library

Juvenile calls (Common)

© Jay McGowan | Macaulay Library

Song (Long-crested)

© Andrew Spencer | Macaulay Library

Song (Long-crested)

© Jay McGowan | Macaulay Library

Calls (Long-crested)

© Andrew Spencer | Macaulay Library

When To Look

Source: Birds of the World

Where To Find It

Source: Birds of the World

Habitats

open woodland

shrub

town

Substrates

Live Tree Branch

Bush or Shrub

Vine or Tangle

What You'll Find

Nest Type

cup

Chick

Altricial

Clutch Size

2
5

Nest Height

15 ft
1 ft

Nesting Statistics

Incubation Period

11-13
days

Brooding Period

7-13
days

Useful Hints

  • Only a few female North American songbirds sing, but the female Northern Cardinal does, and often while sitting on the nest.
  • Cardinals usually don’t use their nests more than once.
  • Cardinals do not migrate and often begin the nest-building process as early as late February.

More Resources

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology