Irvine Nature Center

A Winter Wonder: the Cardinal!

DECEMBER 7 | By Guest Writer Intern Madeline Mahon

‘Tis the season!

There’s nothing better than the sights, sounds and smells of winter: the constant smell of pine trees, carolers, fancy lights and more. But you take the good with the bad, and sadly, winter also means not getting to enjoy some of nature’s finest creatures: birds that have migrated.

But not to fear! The northern cardinal sticks around for us during the winter.

This strikingly beautiful songbird remains in our area year round instead of migrating like many other northern birds. Cardinals prefer woodlands, fields, suburbs and gardens. Sound like where you live?

Though they typically feed on insects like grasshoppers, flies and beetles, cardinals will also eat sunflower seeds. They are pickier in the summer when there is an abundance of food and less so in the winter when resources are scarce.

You have the best chance of spotting these red beauties either at dawn or dusk.

Cardinals love the woodlands as well as backyard bird feeders, so be sure to leave your feeders out, even if it’s cold!