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.

To learn more about the northern cardinal and its habitat, visit its species page at All About Birds.

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

Field notes in photographs

Northern cardinal Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the northern cardinal in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.