CARDINAL FLIGHT.jpg Postcard

The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states, more than any other species: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. It was also a candidate to become the state bird of Delaware, but lost to the Blue Hen of Delaware. The cardinal is also the team mascot for some universities (i.e. Louisville and Stanford) and professional sports teams *Fun Facts About Cardinals* •The Northern Cardinal is protected under the Migratory Bird Act. You can't have one as a pet and it is illegal to take or kill one. •Some people think the Catholic Cardinal got its name from the bird, but it was the other way around. •Male cardinals may sometimes sing up to 200 songs in an hour. Sometimes the male and female will sing duets. •They get their red feathers from carotenoids in their food. •Cardinals are one of the most popular birds for people who put out bird feeders. It is thought that the birds are now able survive in some snowy areas due to bird feeders. Baby Northern Cardinals will all be tan like their mom. The males will get their red feathers as they grow into adults. The babies are born from white eggs with brown spots. The female will lay between one and five eggs with a typical clutch having three eggs. The babies are helpless when born and the mom and dad birds both collect food to feed them. Cardinals like to forage for food at dawn and dusk. They eat insects, fruit, and seeds. Digital Art Photoshop CS5