: especially in towns and villages but around dwellings in rural areas as well. They cluster around well-stocked bird feeding stations Oct-Apr, some of which may host multiple individuals.
Miscellany: In 1969, when Paul Favour, a long-time Acadia National Park Naturalist, compiled a checklist of the birds of Mt Desert Island, he listed one 1961/62 record for Northern Cardinal. The first local MDI CBC record was in 1971 (the first Schoodic CBC record was 1973) and since that time the species has slowly but steadily increased. The male cardinal's red color comes from carotenoid pigments occurring naturally in many fruits, seeds and flower which cardinals consume. These pigments are deposited in feathers at the time of molt (feather replacement).
Last Updated: April 27th, 2022