PERCHING BIRDS 



503. Cardinai,. Cardinalis cardinaUs cardinal is. 



Range. — Eastern United States, north to New York and Illinois, west to the 

 Plains and Texas. Resident in most of its range. 



These beautiful fiery red and crested songsters are one of the most attractive 

 of our birds, and in their range, nest about habitations as 

 freely as among the thickets and scrubby brush of wood 

 or hillside. Their nests are rarely placed higher than ten 

 feet from the ground in bushes, branches, vines, bru^Ii 

 piles or trees; they are loosely made of twigs, (;oarsc 

 grasses and weeds, shreds of bark, leaves, etc., and lined 

 with fine grass or hair. They frequently lay two or three 

 sets of eggs a season, the first being completed usually 

 early in May; three or four, and sometimes five, white or 

 pale bluish white eggs are laid; they are very varied in markings but usually 

 profusely spotted, more heavily at the large end, with reddish brown and 

 lavender. Size 1.00 x .70. 



llluish -ivhite 



oy;5a. Arizona Cardinal. Cardnudis cardinalis supcrhus. 



Range. — Northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona. 



A larger and more rosy form of the Cardinal. Its eggs 

 tinguished from those of the eastern Redbird. 



cannot be dis- 



503h. San Lucas Cardinal. Cardinalis cardinalis igneus. 

 Range. — Southern Lower California. 

 Like the last but smaller and with less black on the forehead; eggs the same. 



NEST OF CARDINAJ 



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