SPECIES

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Scientific name definitions

Sylvia L. Halkin, Daniel P. Shustack, M. Susan DeVries, Jodie M. Jawor, and Susan U. Linville
Version: 2.0 — Published February 12, 2021

Identification

Field Identification

Medium-sized songbird; length of C. c. cardinalis, male 22.2–23.5 cm, female 20.9–21.6 cm (61). Average mass of C. c. cardinalis (sexes combined) 42–48 g, though there appears to be variation with geographic location (within and between subspecies) and time of year. Plumage distinctive—adult male in Definitive Basic is red with black face mask surrounding bill; female in Definitive Basic is grayish tan, with some red on wings, tail, crest, face, and breast, red to red-orange underwings, and pale gray to black face mask. Both sexes have a prominent crest and heavy conical orange-red bill. Juvenile similar to female, but has gray to black bill, shorter crest, less red coloration on the body, and more loosely textured feathers (especially undertail coverts). Males and females gain definitive-like plumage in their first year (Formative Plumage), though many first-year individuals can still be distinguished by retained juvenile primaries, secondaries, and/or rectrices. Males in introduced Hawaiian population can appear duller than mainland birds, but not quantified (R. Pyle, personal communication).

Similar Species

The combination of plumage color, crest, and orange-red conical bill distinguish the Northern Cardinal from all other species within its range, except the Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) of the southwestern United States and Mexico. In all plumages, Pyrrhuloxia is distinguished from female and juvenile Northern Cardinal by a shorter bill with a conspicuously decurved upper mandible (yellow to orange in summer adults, horn to brown or grayish brown in winter). Additionally, Pyrrhuloxia plumage is grayer, versus browner in female Northern Cardinal, and male Pyrrhuloxia has a red patch around the base of the bill and variable red coloration down the center of the underparts.

Recommended Citation

Halkin, S. L., D. P. Shustack, M. S. DeVries, J. M. Jawor, and S. U. Linville (2021). Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.norcar.02