- Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis
- Group: Garden and Park Birds
This printable Northern Cardinal coloring page is based on the bird’s strong crest, thick seed-cracking bill, long tail, and bold overall shape.
The Northern Cardinal is one of the most recognizable birds in North America. It is especially popular as a coloring subject because the adult male is bright red and easy to identify, while the female has softer buff and olive tones with touches of red.
Use the natural color guide for a realistic result, or choose your own colors and create a more imaginative version.
Northern Cardinal Coloring Page Color guide
Adult male:
- Body: bright red
- Face mask: black
- Crest: bright red
- Wings: slightly darker red with brownish tones
- Tail: red
- Bill: orange-red
- Eyes: dark brown or black
- Legs and feet: gray-brown
Adult female:
- Body: warm buff, tan, or gray-brown
- Crest: buff with reddish tones
- Wings: brown with red highlights
- Tail: brownish red or reddish
- Face mask: dark gray to black around the bill
- Bill: orange-red
- Eyes: dark brown
- Legs and feet: gray-brown
Young birds resemble females but usually have a darker, duller bill before it becomes brighter.
How to recognize a Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal is a medium-sized songbird with a raised crest, a thick conical bill, and a long tail.
Adult males are very easy to recognize because they are bright red all over, with a black mask around the face and throat. Adult females are less brightly colored, but they still show the same crest, strong red-orange bill, and reddish tones in the wings, tail, and crest.
The combination of a pointed crest, heavy bill, and long tail helps identify the species even when the bird is partly hidden in shrubs or trees.
Its clear whistled songs and sharp metallic calls are also useful clues. Both males and females sing.
Where it lives
Northern Cardinals live across much of the eastern and central United States, parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and southern Canada.
They are commonly found in gardens, parks, woodland edges, suburban neighborhoods, hedgerows, scrub, and areas with dense bushes and scattered trees.
They are especially comfortable around people and are frequent visitors to bird feeders, where they often feed on seeds.
Most Northern Cardinals do not migrate and usually remain in the same general area throughout the year.
What it eats
Northern Cardinals eat mainly seeds, grains, and fruit.
Their strong bills are especially well suited for cracking open seeds. They also eat berries, buds, and other plant material.
During the breeding season, they include more insects in their diet, such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and other small invertebrates.
They often forage on the ground or in low shrubs, and they regularly visit feeders for sunflower seeds and similar foods.
Interesting facts
- The Northern Cardinal belongs to the cardinal family, Cardinalidae.
- It is the official state bird of more U.S. states than any other species.
- Unlike many songbirds, both males and females sing.
- The bright red plumage of the male comes from pigments in its food called carotenoids.
- Northern Cardinals usually form strong pairs, and mates often stay close together.
- Males may feed females during courtship, a behavior known as courtship feeding.
- Because they do not migrate and remain visible in winter, Northern Cardinals are especially familiar and loved backyard birds in many parts of North America.