Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Migration Movements => Topic started by: Cody on March 29, 2009, 02:49:12 PM

Title: Northern Cardinal
Post by: Cody on March 29, 2009, 02:49:12 PM

Could someone please tell me when Northern Cardinals will arrive in Southern Ontario.


Thanks,
Cody

Title:
Post by: Faltorvo on March 29, 2009, 03:04:32 PM

Many stay all winter long.

You should have some luck seeing and hearing the males perched on the top of a tree singing out it's (my turf song).

Early morning is the best time to catch him doing this.

Title:
Post by: Margaret on March 29, 2009, 05:04:33 PM

Here in Brampton we've had a pair of cardinals stick around every winter for years. Of course we don't know if it's always the same birds!
Starting recently the male has been singing "Pretty, pretty, pretty" from high up in the big tree every morning.
The A. goldfinches are becoming more colourful every day.
Margaret

Title: Northern Cardinals are not migratory
Post by: Tyler on March 30, 2009, 11:25:16 PM

Northern Cardinals are year round residents in southern Ontario.

Actually it is one of the newer breeding species in Ontario. The earliest record is from 1849 and the first nest was found in 1901 at Point Pelee. It was not confirmed as a breeding species in London till 1915, Brantford 1919 and Toronto 1922.

Each year they are slowly moving north into new territories

Title:
Post by: Cody on March 31, 2009, 06:56:36 PM

Thank you everyone for the information. I just got in to the hobby last week and I am really enjoying it. I have 3 Bird feeders in my backyard (1 from Dollarama, 1 from a kit, and 1 made out of a Orange Juice Container). I have many different types of food in the feeders.

   This morning I saw 2 Bluejays eating some peanuts this morning. What food will attract Cardinals?


Thanks,
Cody

Title: Northern cardinal
Post by: Margaret on March 31, 2009, 08:02:38 PM

My little fella takes the sunflower seeds out of my mixed seed. He, and his mate, will eat off the platform feeder or on the ground. He's usually around early morning and evening. Maybe if I didn't buy mixed seed I could keep the squirrels away!
You might like to check out http://canada-gardens.com/2cardinal.html (http://canada-gardens.com/2cardinal.html)
At my tube feeder full of niger seed I regularly have half a dozen A. goldfinches, with a few waiting. The juncos have taken to eating this too, I still have several around here in Brampton.

Title: Cardinal food
Post by: Vicsr on March 31, 2009, 08:12:23 PM

We have a pair of Cardinals coming to our feeders. The male comes at least twice a day while the female is there once but stays in our Norwegian Spruce the second time. I have a tray with safflower seeds that they seem to prefer although the male also goes to the sunflower seed tray on occasion. Sometimes the male takes food to the female when she waits in the tree.

Beautiful birds!

Vic