![]() ![]() A flock of cardinals can be called a college, conclave, radiance, or Vatican. Cardinal pairs remain together year-round and join with other northern cardinals to form large flocks in the winter, making a stunning sight when a large group of these birds is spotted in a snowy landscape.A mated pair is often seen feeding together, with the male gently offering seed to his mate in a kiss-like gesture. If the pair can produce healthy offspring, they may remain together for some time, though cardinals will separate or "divorce" if necessary to find a more suitable mate to raise more chicks. These are monogamous birds that may mate for life.One cardinal may have more than a dozen song variations, and different geographic populations often have quite different songs. Females also often have more elaborate songs than males. Females often sing while sitting on the nest, which may communicate the need for more food to their mates. Both male and female northern cardinals are adept songsters, and males, in particular, may sing year-round.In some cases, mite or parasite infestations can contribute to this temporary baldness, but the feathers will eventually regrow. It can be a startling appearance but is a natural part of their molting cycle. Northern cardinals occasionally go bald, losing all the feathers on their heads and showing bare black or dark gray skin.Females may also show a red wash across the chest, though this varies between individuals. Female cardinals are a soft, warm tan color with a bright orange bill and red edging to the wings and tail. These are dimorphic birds, and while the red males are instantly recognizable, the more camouflaged females are also lovely and elegant.On rare occasions, vibrant yellow northern cardinals may be seen a genetic plumage variation called xanthochroism. The red coloration of northern cardinals' plumage results from carotenoids in their feather structure, and they ingest those carotenoids through their diet.Cardinal Bird Trivia Physical Characteristics They are closely related to grosbeaks, buntings, and tanagers, which are all songbirds that have brightly colored plumage. Northern cardinals are the Cardinalis cardinalis species and the most familiar member of the Cardinalidae bird family. The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board. ![]()
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