The cardinal is the official state bird of Indiana and six other US states. Male cardinals are bright red with a black mask, while females are duller in color. They are year-round residents and can be found in a wide geographic range. They breed from March to September and are monogamous.
In 1933, the Indiana state legislature designated the cardinal as the official state bird of Indiana. Cardinals do not migrate, so they are year-round residents of the state. They have a large range and relatively dense population, so in addition to being the state bird of Indiana, cardinals are the state bird for six other U.S. states: West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois.
The cardinal, scientifically called Cardinalis cardinalis, is also known as the redbird or northern cardinal. It is a medium-sized songbird that belongs to the finch family. Male cardinals are about 8-9 cm long and are just a little larger than females. Cardinals generally weigh 20-23 ounces (1.48-1.69 g) and have a wingspan of about 42-48 inches (10-12 cm).
Males and females do not differ much in size, but their colors distinguish them significantly from each other. The male cardinal is a solid bright scarlet, broken only by a little black around the base of its reddish-toned bill, which looks like a mask. His legs are also dark red. Early American settlers named Cardinal because the color of him reminded them of cardinals of the Catholic church, who wear bright red ceremonial robes. The bird’s red color is its most distinguishing feature and allows the Indiana state bird to be easily spotted by bird watchers.
Conversely, the female has a dull appearance. A female cardinal ranges in color from a light brownish green to a grayish tan or tan. The female lacks the characteristic black mask, although part of her face may be a little dark. Females have red legs and feet, just like males.
Although the cardinal is the state bird of Indiana and a few other states, its geographic range is actually quite wide. Cardinals are found from southern Canada to Maine and Nova Scotia and as far south as the Gulf Coast of Florida, Mexico and Central America. As for habitat, cardinals are most comfortable at the edges of woodlands, riverside thickets, and marshes, but will also live in residential areas and city gardens.
The breeding season is from around March to September, with pairs being monogamous and often remaining together for several years. Females build nests and lay one to five eggs. Although the male brings her food, only the female incubates the eggs, which takes around 12 days.
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