Watercolor portrait of Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis
Year-round resident Found in a variety of habitats with dens… Song

Learn to identify the Northern Cardinal by ear. Master the "birdy-birdy-birdy" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“cheer-cheer-cheer...birdie-birdie-birdie”

What the Northern Cardinal sounds like

Medium-sized, robust songbird with a distinctive crest on the head and a thick conical bill. Males are brilliant red overall with a black mask on the face and throat; females are pale brown or tan with warm reddish tinges on the wings, tail, and crest, and a grayish face. Both sexes have bright orange-red bills. Cardinals often sit in conspicuous spots to sing their rich whistling songs.

“birdy-birdy-birdy”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A loud, rich series of clear whistles, often speeding up or slurring downward at the end. Commonly rendered as "cheer, cheer, cheer" or "purty purty purty" or "birdie, birdie, birdie." Cardinals have several variations of their songs, and both males and females sing (females usually more quietly). They often repeat the same phrase 2-3 times before switching to another melody. Often written as “cheer-cheer-cheer...birdie-birdie-birdie”.
Don't confuse with:The Pyrrhuloxia — a related species in the southwest (sometimes called the desert cardinal).

Lessons featuring the Northern Cardinal

Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Northern Cardinal's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.

Meet the Neighbors lesson habitat
Meet the Neighbors
Tier 1 · Right Out the Door
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Where you'll hear it

Found in a variety of habitats with dense shrubbery or edges. Common in woodlands, thickets, brushy swamps, gardens, and backyards. Favors areas where there is plenty of cover (thick bushes or hedges) for nesting and open feeding areas nearby. Avoids deep unbroken forests; thrives in suburban neighborhoods and parklands as well as rural hedgerows. Its range has expanded northward where people plant shrubs and put out feeders.

In late winter, Northern Cardinals begin singing persistently to establish territories. By early spring, pairs engage in courtship (the male feeds seeds to the female beak-to-beak in a gentle 'mate feeding' ritual). Nest building starts, and females do most of the construction while males guard. They raise 1-3 broods between spring and late summer. During breeding, males aggressively defend territory, sometimes fighting their reflection in windows thinking it's a rival. In fall, cardinals molt into fresh plumage (males may look slightly dull or patchy during molt). They become a bit less territorial and often forage in family groups or loose flocks with other cardinals, but can still be seen around feeders. By winter, pairs often stick together, and flocks of juveniles/adults may roost in dense vegetation at night. They are among the first to start singing as the winter days lengthen, often on clear January or February mornings.

Similar species

Pyrrhuloxia

A related species in the Southwest (sometimes called the Desert Cardinal).

Summer Tanager

Another all-red bird (male Summer Tanager is solid reddish-orange).

Northern Cardinal song FAQ

What does a Northern Cardinal sound like?
A loud, rich series of clear whistles, often speeding up or slurring downward at the end. Commonly rendered as "cheer, cheer, cheer" or "purty purty purty" or "birdie, birdie, birdie." Cardinals have several variations of their songs, and both males and females sing (females usually more quietly). They often repeat the same phrase 2-3 times before switching to another melody. Listen for the "birdy-birdy-birdy" phrase.
How do I tell a Northern Cardinal from a Pyrrhuloxia by sound?
Pyrrhuloxia: A related species in the Southwest (sometimes called the Desert Cardinal).; Males are gray with red highlights on the face, crest, and chest, and have a yellow, more parrot-like thick bill.; Pyrrhuloxia females are pale gray with less red.; They also have a crest, but overall look more slender and have a distinctive curved culmen on the beak.; Essentially, Pyrrhuloxias look like a grayish version of a cardinal with a stubby yellow bill and are found in deserts where Northern Cardinals are generally not present..
When is the best time to hear a Northern Cardinal?
In late winter, Northern Cardinals begin singing persistently to establish territories. By early spring, pairs engage in courtship (the male feeds seeds to the female beak-to-beak in a gentle 'mate feeding' ritual). Nest building starts, and females do most of the construction while males guard. They raise 1-3 broods between spring and late summer. During breeding, males aggressively defend territory, sometimes fighting their reflection in windows thinking it's a rival. In fall, cardinals molt into fresh plumage (males may look slightly dull or patchy during molt). They become a bit less territorial and often forage in family groups or loose flocks with other cardinals, but can still be seen around feeders. By winter, pairs often stick together, and flocks of juveniles/adults may roost in dense vegetation at night. They are among the first to start singing as the winter days lengthen, often on clear January or February mornings.