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What do cardinals eat?
When most people colloquially talk about cardinals, they are referring to one particular type of cardinals: the northern cardinal. Known for its characteristic colorful plumage, the northern cardinal can be divided into 19 different subspecies. Only males are red, and the biggest differentiating factor between the northern cardinal subspecies is the differences in facial coloration of females. Although the population ranges from Canada to Guatemala, the different northern cardinal subspecies tend to have similar diets.
This is largely due to the fact that cardinals are not picky about food. They have some of the most varied appetites among birds. An omnivorous animal, the typical northern cardinal will eat a diet of about 70% vegetable matter and 30% animal. Cardinal’s animal prey includes just about any insect that is small enough to be eaten. It can vary depending on the habitat, but it usually consists of beetles, butterflies, crickets, and flies. They are also known to snack on both centipedes and worms. Nuts, seeds, and grains make up the bulk of this omnivorous animal’s diet, but they are hardly picky about their food.
Cardinals have been shown to feed on over three dozen different types of weed seeds, as well as most of the edible nuts, grains, and fruits found in their habitat. If it’s edible and small enough to be swallowed, chances are good that the cardinal will eat it.
What do cardinals eat in winter?
Cardinals are non-migratory birds that mate for life. And since most cardinals live a considerable distance north of the equator, this means winters tend to be cold, leading to food shortages. As the mating season ends and the weather gets colder, these birds will become less territorial and expand their reach to seek more food sources. These are tough times, with only 60% of adult cardinals surviving the winter. This is partly due to lack of food, and partly because the cardinal’s bright plumage is especially noticeable to predators in the snow.
Cardinals are often found at bird feeders, and bird food provided by humans can mean the difference between life and death during particularly hostile winters. Birdbaths also provide an opportunity to replenish their water balance – this task is complemented by the water they obtain from fruits and insects. Once an abundant food source is found, cardinals often gather in flocks to protect it. They also often sleep together to keep their bodies warm on cold evenings. As soon as there is more food, these birds tend to become more territorial again.
Throughout the year, the cardinals follow a diet that includes:
- Agricultural seeds (sunflower, corn, vegetable marrow)
- Weed seeds (39 known varieties)
- Cereals (barley, oats, wheat)
- Fruit (wild and human-derived)
- Nuts
- Little spiders
- Insects (cathidids, flies, crickets)
- Invertebrates (worms, centipedes, caterpillars)
- Flowering plants and nectar
How do cardinals hunt for food?
Cardinals are omnivores who are selective in their food choices when possible, but ready to adapt when the situation calls for it. For most of the year, cardinals will strictly guard the area as mating pairs, and the male will be the main breadwinner for both mother and chicks. They forage for potential food on the ground using their sharp, hooked beaks to gather seeds, sprouts, insects, and other animal prey. Cardinals prefer seeds that are easy to peel, and especially seeds that are high in fat and protein. Cardinals also occasionally scoop insect prey from the air in flight.
Insects and invertebrates become a major part of their diet during the peak mating season, and meat also makes up the bulk of the diet of chickens, which require additional protein to grow.
Because their habitat often overlaps with suburban settlements, human gardens often make up a significant part of a cardinal’s diet. Control over the area that overlaps the gardens is often heated – and many people have started breeding bird food specifically to attract the cardinals. One of the most effective poultry feeding options is safflower seeds, as they are popular with cardinals but are often overlooked by squirrels and other bird species. Birds are known to chew on garden fruits, but they tend to serve a symbiotic relationship with humans. Their tireless feeding methods help seeds and fruits germinate, and they play a key role in reducing insect and invertebrate populations.
Cardinals are also some of the most voracious songbirds, and can often be seen feeding in gardens from dawn to dusk.
What kind of animals do cardinals eat?
The males of this species prey primarily on food, and their bright coats, combined with the fact that they forage on the ground, make them an obvious target for predators of all stripes. The cardinal population stretches from Canada to Central America, which means that the face of the cardinal predator is often situational. On earth, reptiles such as milk snakes, garter snakes, and king snakes are a common threat. But the biggest threat to cardinals – and many other songbirds – is invasive species. Domestic cats kill even when food is not needed, and this can quickly wipe out bird populations. But they’re not the only mammals to hunt the cardinal. Domestic dogs can also be a threat, as well as obvious wild threats like foxes and smaller animals like squirrels and chipmunks.
Because they face so many ground threats and carry the target on their backs, cardinals will usually keep an eye out for bushes and trees to which they can flee if a threat arises while gathering food. But just because they are at their best does not mean that they are free from persecution. Various species of hawks, owls, and eagles will hunt an adult cardinal if given the opportunity. Cardinal chicks and eggs are especially vulnerable to predators – even smaller species such as crows and blue jays are known to feed on them.
Next: what do marmots eat?
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