Eastern & Central US, Mexico
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Backyards, woodland edges, thickets· 8.5 in / 22 cm
"A scarlet flash and a sharp metallic chip from a dense shrub."
The story
Cardinals mate for life and the female sings too — unusual among songbirds. In late winter you'll often see a male feeding seeds to a female, beak to beak, an old courtship gesture.
Conservation
Stable and expanding north as winters warm.
One small thing you can do
Plant a native dogwood or sumac — cardinals love the berries through winter.