Northern cardinal

A male northern cardinal in winter is hard to look past. Against fresh snow and bare branches, his red feathers, black face mask, and tall crest glow like a lit ember. The cardinal is a striking splash of red against a Manitoba winter, a species that has slowly expanded its range northward and is now a welcome visitor in southern parts of the province. Males are vivid red with a black mask, a bold crest, and a thick, orange-red bill.

Cardinals do not migrate, so they are a welcome splash of colour through a Manitoba winter. Males are bright red, while females are a warmer tan with touches of red on the wings, crest, and tail. Both sing, and they readily visit feeders for sunflower seeds. Feeders stocked with black oil sunflower seeds are the best way to attract one, and they tend to visit at dawn and dusk.

These are some of my favourite frames of the male northern cardinal, from snowy mornings at the feeder and in the garden.

Male northern cardinal in deep snow with a bright red crest and black face mask

Photos

  • Male northern cardinal perched on a snowy branch among soft, blurred winter twigs
  • Male northern cardinal perched on an iron feeder bracket beside a snow-dusted seed head
  • Male northern cardinal at a snow-capped feeder with its red crest raised

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