🐦 Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
The bright red songbird behind countless backyard whistles. Both males and females sing, which is unusual.
🔊 Hear the call
🐦 Northern Cardinal
Reference call (simulated)
“Clear slurred whistles — “birdy-birdy-birdy” or “cheer cheer cheer” — plus a sharp metallic chip”
What they sound like
Clear slurred whistles — “birdy-birdy-birdy” or “cheer cheer cheer” — plus a sharp metallic chip
Why they make this sound
- · Song to hold territory and attract a mate
- · Duetting between paired birds
- · Sharp chip notes as alarm or contact calls
When you’ll hear them
Daylight year-round, heaviest singing from late winter into summer
Where they live
Shrubby edges, gardens, hedgerows and feeders Eastern and central North America into Mexico
Fun fact
Cardinal pairs sing back and forth, sometimes matching each other's phrases exactly.
Should I be concerned?
Totally harmless, though males will fight their own reflection in your window.
Sound signature
- Sound type
- Bird vocalization — song
- Pitch
- High, clear whistles
- Pattern
- Repeated slurred whistle phrases
- Frequency
- 1,500–4,500 Hz