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What Is the State Bird of North Carolina?

Cindy Quarters
Cindy Quarters

The Northern Cardinal was selected as the state bird of North Carolina in 1943. This bird is also the state bird for six other states in the U.S., including Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. It is found throughout the southern U.S. as well as many of the eastern states, occurring in large numbers throughout much of its range.

Bright red plumage and a jet-black mask make it easy to spot the state bird of North Carolina, though only the males have bodies that are actually red. The females are less colorful, with feathers of a medium-brown color and reddish spots on the wings and tail. Both males and females have a vibrant orange, cone-shaped beak.

A map of the US.
A map of the US.

Cardinals live just about anywhere they can find shelter. They are typically found perched in trees, on top of fences or in bushes of all sizes. They don’t mind living in backyards but are equally at home in forested areas, fields or swamps. The state bird of North Carolina seeks its food on the ground and often visits backyards to eat at bird feeders or search the grass for food.

Many people work to attract cardinals because they have several distinctive songs that they sing almost all year long. They begin singing at first light, and continue until dusk. A chorus of these birds singing their different songs is both appealing and relaxing to some, and can be particularly pleasant at those times of the year when other songbirds have migrated to warmer climates.

The female cardinal is capable of raising more than one family each year, but whether or not she does depends on the local climate. It is not unusual for cardinals in the warm southern states to lay two clutches of eggs each year, and in some cases she may produce three. The female stays with her eggs until they hatch, then cares for the young for about a week and a half while the male works to feed them all. She will then leave her young to begin another nest, and the male will stay behind with the first family until they can care for themselves.

The nests cardinals build are not particularly sturdy or impressive, and may be found in a wide variety of locations. The female usually builds them in bushes or in trees, using whatever materials are easy for her to gather, especially sticks and grass. Males will vigorously defend their territory and chase out anything they perceive as rivals, helping to ensure that the state bird of North Carolina will continue to thrive for a long time to come.

Discussion Comments

Oceana

@cloudel – It isn't anything you have done, and you don't have to be afraid, unless you walk around with a mirror on your shirt. The cardinal is attacking his own reflection in your window, because he thinks it's another male.

I have seen them attack the rearview mirror of my car before. It is so funny to watch their assault upon an inanimate object!

They are very territorial, and they try to chase other males away from their area, and particularly, from their females. As long as they can see themselves in your window, they will continue to attack. You might want to get some decals or some frosting put on, if it bothers you that much.

cloudel

The cardinal may be North Carolina's state bird, but Mississippi has plenty of them, as well. I live here, and I have been having trouble with a certain cardinal who has something against my window.

I don't know if he is trying to get inside or if he is angry about something. He will fly up to the window and aggressively start flapping and pecking at the glass. It really scares me when it happens, because the loud noise is so sudden.

What is this cardinal trying to accomplish? Have I angered him somehow, and should I be afraid to go outside?

seag47

@orangey03 – I had never heard that cardinal myth, but I have heard one that says that if you see a redbird, you will soon experience a good thing in your life. If you say it flying upward, then you will have good luck.

I live in North Carolina, and we have so many cardinals around here that if this myth were true, we would all have so much luck! I see at least two cardinals every day, even in the winter.

In fact, they are one of the few birds that I see around here all year long. They look really cool against the snow.

orangey03

I have always heard a myth about cardinals. They say that if you see one, it means someone that you haven't seen in a long time is about to visit you.

A couple of times, this has come true, but it doesn't always work out that way. In fact, one time that I saw a cardinal, I was already expecting my out-of-state friend to arrive that day, but her flight was delayed and she didn't make it.

So, I've come to believe that seeing a cardinal just means that I got the chance to see a pretty red bird in my yard. It means nothing more.

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    • A map of the US.
      By: HL
      A map of the US.