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 F / 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