Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
In the winter, the most colourful bird that can be found in woods and forests around Montreal. Northern Cardinal usually appears as couple. If you spot a male the female is not for away.
- 🇫🇷 Cardinal rouge
- 🇩🇪 Rotkardinal, Rote Kardinal
- 🇲🇽 Cardenal norteño, Cardenal rojo
Characteristics
- Length: 21-23cm
- Weight: 42-45g
- Wingspan: 30-35cm
How to Identify
Both, male and female are easily identified. The male is completely red, the female brownish, light brown almost yellow on the breast, darker almost olive on the back and with partially red wings. Both have a black mask around the reddish beak.
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Where and When to Spot
There is no park where I haven’t seen Northern Cardinals. Early in the morning, the male exposes himself by sitting on a branch performing his chant. Due to its intensive red color easily to spot. The female may not be for away, somewhere hidden in the bushes at lower ground.
Observations by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jardin Botanique de Montréal | x | x | - | x |
| Parc Angrignon | x | x | - | x |
| Parc Bernard-Landry | x | - | x | - |
| Parc Michel-Chartrand | x | - | - | x |
| Parc Mont Saint-Bruno | - | x | - | - |
| Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies | x | - | - | x |
| Parc de la Frayère | x | x | x | - |
| Parc des Rapides, Lachine | x | - | - | - |
"-" indicates no observation. It may not necessarily mean though that the species is absent from the park during that season.