THE CARDINAL 



Cardinal Grosbeak, Redbird, Virginia Nightingale 



(Cardinals belong to the Grosbeak group of the large 

 Finch or Sparrow Family, or the Fringillidce.) 



Length: About 8i/4 inches; slightly smaller than the robin. 



General Appearance: Brilliant rose-red plumage; crested head 

 and thick beak. 



Male: A soft cardinal red, except for a black throat, a black 

 band encircling bill, and, in winter, a grayish tinge 

 to wings. Bill large, heavy, and light red. Red 

 crest ^conspicuous ; it may be raised and lowered at 

 will. Tail long and slender; it is twitched nervously 

 and frequently. 



Female: Brownish-gray above, yellowish underneath. Crest, 

 wings, and tail reddish — the color especially notice 

 able in flight. Throat and band about bill grayish- 

 black. 



Gall-note : A sharp, insistent tsip, tsip. 



Song: A loud and clear, yet sweet and mellow whistle, cheer, 

 cheer, he-u, he-u, he-u, repeatedly rapidly with de- 

 scending inflection, and with nearly an octave in 

 range. The female, unlike most of her sex in the 

 bird-world, is also a fine singer; her soft melodious 

 warble is considered by many listeners to be superior 

 to the song of her mate. 



Habitat: "Shrubbery is its chosen haunt, the more tangled the 

 better. Here the nest is built and here they spend 

 most of their days. Higher trees are usually sought 

 only under the inspiration Oi song." ^ 



^ From W. L. McAtee; Farmers' Bulletin 755, Biological Survey, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture. 



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