Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Size: 8-9" (20-22.5 cm) Female: buff brown bird with tinges of red on crest and wings, a black mask and large red bill Male: red bird with a black mask extending from face down to chin and throat, large red bill and crest Juvenile: same as female, but with a blackish gray bill Nest: cup; female builds; 2-3 broods per year Eggs: 3-4; bluish white with brown markings Incubation: 12-13 days; female and male incubate Fledging: 9-10 days; female and male feed young Migration: non-migrator Food: seeds, insects, fruit; comes to seed feeders Compare: Female Cardinal appears similar to juvenile Cardinal. Look for female's bright red bill. Stan's Notes: A familiar backyard bird. Look for male feeding female during courtship. Male feeds young of first brood by himself while female builds a second nest. Their name comes from the Latin word cardinalis , which means "important." Very territorial during spring, it will fight its own reflection in a window. Non-territorial in winter, they gather in small flocks of up to 20 birds. Both male and female sing and can be heard any time of year. Listen for their "whata-cheer-cheer-cheer" territorial call in spring. Excerpted from Birds of Missouri Field Guide by Stan Tekiela All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.