Bird Study 



133 



The cardinal grosbeak. 

 After Audubon Leaflet No. 18. 



THE CARDINAL GROSBEAK 



Teacher's Story 



There never lived a Lord Cardinal who 

 possessed robes of state more brilliant in 

 color than the plumage of this bird. By 

 the way, I wonder how many of us ever 

 think when we see the peculiar red, called 

 cardinal, that it gained its name from the 

 dress of this high functionaryof the church ? 

 The cardinal grosbeak is the best name for 

 the redbird because that describes it 

 exactly, both as to its color and its chief 

 characteristic, since its beak is thick and 

 large; the beak is also red, which is a rare 

 color in beaks, and in order to make its 

 redness more emphatic it is set m a frame 

 of black feathers. The use of such a large 

 beak is unmistakable, for it is strong 

 enough to crush the hardest of seed shells 

 or to crack the hardest and driest of 

 grains. 



"What cheer! What cheer! 

 That ii the grosbeak's way, 

 With his sooty face and his coat of red" 



sings Maurice Thompson. But besides 

 the name given above, this bird has been called in different localities 

 the redbird, Virginia redbird, crested redbird, winter redbird, Virginia 

 nightingale, the red corn-cracker, but it remained for James Lane 

 Allen to give it another name in his masterpiece, "The Kentucky 

 Cardinal." 



The cardinal is a trifle smaller than the robin and is by no means slim 

 and graceful, like the catbird or the scarlet tanager, but is quite stout and 

 is a veritable chunk of brilliant color and bird dignity. The only other 

 bird that rivals him in redness is the scarlet tanager which has black 

 wings; the summer tanager is also a red bird, but is not so vermilion and 

 is more slender and lacks the crest. The cardinal surely finds his crest 

 useful in expressing his emotions; when all is serene, it lies back flat on 

 the head, but with any excitement, whether of joy or surprise or anger, it 

 lifts until it is as peaked as an old-fashioned nightcap. The cardinal's 

 mate is of quiet color; her back is greenish gray and breast buffy, while 

 her crest, wings and tail reflect in faint ways the brilliancy of his costume. 



The redbird's song is a stirring succession of syllables uttered in a rich, 

 ringing tone, and may be translated in a variety of ways. I have heard 

 him sing a thousand times "tor-re'-do, tor-re'-do, tor-re'-do," but Dr. 

 Dawson has heard him sing "che'-pew, che'-pew, we'-woo, we'-woo;" 

 "bird-ie, bird-ie, bird-ie; tschew, tschew, tschew;" and "chit-e-kew, 

 chit-e-kew; he-weet- he-weet." His mate breaks the custom of other 

 birds of her sex and sings a sweet song, somewhat softer than his. Both 

 birds utter a sharp note "tsip, tsip." 



The nest is built in bushes, vines or low trees, often in holly, laurel or 

 other low evergreens, and is rarely more than six or eight feet above the 



