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 pale brown overall with warm reddish tinges in the wings, tail, and crest.
© Peter F / Macaulay LibraryIndiana, January 11, 2020Adult male
A medium-sized songbird with a heavy bill and prominent crest. Adult male is a brilliant red with a black mask around the bill. Splits sunflower seeds with its bill and then uses its tongue to separate the shell from the seed.
© Brad Imhoff / Macaulay LibraryOhio, February 04, 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
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.
© Wee Hao Ng / Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 27, 2023Male
Often sits with a hunched-over posture and with the tail pointed straight down.
© Paul Tavares / Macaulay LibraryOntario, February 08, 2011Adult female
Female sings alone and also in duet with male (as heard here).
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 06, 2022Female
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
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, 2014Similar SpeciesPyrrhuloxia
Adult male
Adult Pyrrhuloxia has a stubby, rounded bill—yellow in summer and darker in winter—and a longer, more pointed crest than Northern Cardinal. Adult male Pyrrhuloxia is grayer than adult female Northern Cardinal, with the gray body strongly contrasting with bright red highlights on the face, crest, breast, wings, and tail.
© Bruce Gates / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 19, 2017Similar SpeciesPyrrhuloxia
Adult female
Adult female Pyrrhuloxia has a stubby, rounded bill that is yellow in breeding plumage (and dusky in winter). Female Pyrrhuloxia is grayer than female Northern Cardinal, with a longer, more pointed crest.
© Alice Madar / Macaulay LibraryArizona, June 26, 2023Similar SpeciesPhainopepla
Female
Female Phainopepla is ashy-gray overall—much darker overall than female Northern Cardinal and lacking any reddish plumage highlights. Note also Phainopepla’s slender bill, red eyes, and white feather edging on the wings.
© gord smith / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 15, 2014Similar SpeciesScarlet Tanager
Breeding male
Breeding male Scarlet Tanager has black wings and a black tail and lacks breeding male Northern Cardinal’s crest, black mask, and conical bill.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 17, 2015Similar SpeciesSummer Tanager
Adult male
Adult male Summer Tanager lacks the male Northern Cardinal's crest and black face patch. Summer Tanager also has a longer, straighter bill compared to the thick conical bill of the cardinal.
© Alex Burdo / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 16, 2016Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Cardinals and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Cardinalidae)
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