Northern Cardinal Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesNorthern Cardinal
Male
Large, long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest. Males are brilliant red with a black mask and throat.
© Suzie McCann / Macaulay LibraryTexas, June 02, 2019Female
Large, crested songbird with a short, thick bill. Females are are pale brown overall with warm reddish tinges in the wings, tail, and crest.
© Peter F / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, January 11, 2020Adult female
Both females and males sing a loud series of clear whistles that can sound like the bird is singing cheer, cheer, cheer or birdie, birdie, birdie.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 06, 2022Juvenile
Juveniles are similar to females, but have a gray to black bill.
© Andrew Lyall / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 23, 2017Female
Some birds lose all the feathers from their head at the same time, remaining bald until the feathers grow back.
© William Kidwell / Macaulay LibrarySouth Carolina, July 22, 2015Adult male
Uses its hefty bill and tongue to extract seeds by cutting or crushing the shells.
© Matthew D. Medler / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 27, 2014Male
A plump, brilliant red songbird with a crest that is common in yards and suburban areas.
© Tom Amico / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, March 15, 2017Male
Often sits with a hunched-over posture and with the tail pointed straight down.
© Paul Tavares / Macaulay LibraryOntario, February 08, 2011Adult male
Year-round resident throughout its range. Often sits upright with its tail pointed downwards giving it a hunchbacked look.
© Matthew D. Medler / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 27, 2014Female
Year-round resident that adds color to winter landscapes in the East.
© Wen Xu / Macaulay LibraryOntario, February 11, 2017Male
Found in backyards, parks, woodlots, and shrubby forest edges.
© Susan Carpenter / Macaulay LibraryOhio, April 04, 2017Adult male
Sings a clear ringing what, what, what often from exposed perches.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryTexasSimilar SpeciesPyrrhuloxia
Adult male
Pyrrhuloxias have a yellow bill whereas Northern Cardinals have a red bill. Adult males are also grayer overall than female Northern Cardinals.
© Jeff Bray / Macaulay LibraryArizona, March 18, 2017Similar SpeciesPyrrhuloxia
Adult female
Pyrrhuloxias have a yellow bill whereas Northern Cardinals have a red bill. Adult females are grayer overall than female Northern Cardinals, which are more brown.
© Mike Charest / Macaulay LibraryTexas, March 02, 2017Similar SpeciesPhainopepla
Female
Female Phainopeplas lack any redness to their plumage and have much more slender bills than female Northern Cardinals.
© gord smith / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 15, 2014Similar SpeciesScarlet Tanager
Breeding male
Breeding male Scarlet Tanagers are brilliant red like adult male Northern Cardinals, but they have black wings and a black tail.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 17, 2015Similar SpeciesSummer Tanager
Adult male
Adult male Summer Tanagers lack the male Northern Cardinal's crest and black face patch. They also have a longer, straighter bill compared to the thick conical bill of the cardinal.
© Alex Burdo / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 16, 2016Similar SpeciesCalifornia Towhee
Adult
California Towhees and other towhee species do not have reddish highlights in the wings, tail, and crest like female Northern Cardinals.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 27, 2017Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Cardinals and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Cardinalidae)
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