Avian Beauty Podcast #6

Do you recognize that sound? It's very possible you've heard it emanating from your own back yard. It's the song of a northern cardinal; one of the most popular birds in the USA - despite the fact it's also one of the most common.

The cardinal is the state bird of seven different states, including Indiana - my home state.

It's also the mascot of may prominent sports teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, the Arizona Cardinals, the University of Louisville and many more.

One of the reasons that the song of a cardinal is so familiar is that it's one of the few species where both the female and the male sing. In fact, the female typically sings more often.

Another reason that the cardinal is so popular is that in courtship, the males exhibit affection by feeding beak-to-beak. Displays of affection between bird species is a rare and delightful thing to see.

There's one thing you can do to make life easier for the male cardinal. Coat your windows with anti-reflective material because during the spring, you may see males attacking the window because the bird thinks he is defending his breeding territory from intruding males.

Everyone loves a good backyard bird -- but how do you get birds to visit? Next week, I'll tell you a story about the average bird's favorite restaurant.

I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Avian Beauty. Thanks for listening. Be sure to visit avianbeauty.com for more bird inspiration and information and please consider subscribing (for free) to our blog and podcast. I’m Scott Bourne. Happy birding.