Cardinals are beautiful red birds that can often be seen in backyards across North America. With their bright coloring and melodious songs, cardinals have long been admired by bird watchers and nature lovers. But do these striking birds actually show affection for each other, or are they simply going through the motions of mating and raising young?
Do cardinals mate for life?
The answer is yes, cardinals do mate for life. Once a male and female cardinal form a bond, they will stay together as a mated pair for the rest of their lives. This lifelong monogamy is quite rare among bird species. Only about 3% of birds mate for life. The mortal DIVORCE rate among cardinals is about 1-3%.
Cardinals show their devotion to their mates in a few key ways:
- They sing to their mates frequently throughout the year, not just during mating season.
- Males feed their brooding females while they incubate eggs.
- Mated pairs stay close together most of the time.
- They defend their joint territory from intruders throughout the year.
All of these behaviors indicate that cardinals form strong bonds with their mates that go beyond just reproducing together. The lifelong commitment and care they show is a sign of true affection.
How do cardinals care for their young?
Cardinals also demonstrate affectionate behavior when raising their young. Here are some examples of how cardinal parents show care for their babies:
- Both parents build the nest together.
- The female incubates the eggs while the male gathers food and feeds her.
- Once the eggs hatch, both parents feed and care for the hatchlings.
- They frequently visit the nest with food, sometimes up to 12 times per hour.
- The parents are very protective, aggressively defending the nest from predators.
- They continue feeding the young for 2-3 weeks after they leave the nest.
This level of dedication to building a safe nest, incubating eggs, and finding food for the hatchlings demonstrates the birds’ affectionate instinct to care for their offspring.
How do cardinals interact as a family group?
Cardinals remain together as a family group even after the young leave the nest. Some behaviors showing their ongoing affectionate bond include:
- The parents follow the fledglings and continue bringing them food for several weeks.
- The fledglings make begging calls when hungry, and the parents respond quickly.
- The young cardinals remain with their parents through their first winter.
- The family forages together in small groups.
- If the mother cardinal dies, the father may continue rearing the young alone.
This extended parent-offspring interaction indicates cardinals have strong family ties that go beyond basic reproductive instincts. The care and responsiveness they show is a hallmark of enduring affection.
How do mated cardinals interact?
In addition to caring for young, cardinal couples continue to strengthen their pair bond long after mating. Some affectionate mate behaviors include:
- Preening each other’s feathers
- Sharing food with their mate
- Flying close together from perch to perch
- Singing duets together
- Allopreening, in which the male pretends to preen the female’s feathers as a courtship ritual
These cooperative, gentle interactions serve no reproductive purpose at the time. They seem to be an expression of fondness and a way to maintain a sense of closeness within the pair.
Do cardinals mourn their mates when they die?
When a mated cardinal loses their partner, they do appear to exhibit mourning behaviors reflecting a sense of loss. These can include:
- Calling out more frequently, likely searching for their absent mate
- Visiting favorite perches of their deceased mate
- Showing agitation and restlessness
- Refusing to mate again for a long period of time
The surviving bird’s distress at the disappearance of their longtime mate indicates they formed a close bond that went beyond sexual reproduction. Their mourning demonstrates feelings of affection and attachment to their absent partner.
Conclusion
When viewing the full picture of how cardinals interact with mates and offspring, their behaviors suggest they form close, affectionate family bonds. The devotion and care cardinals show to their mates and young go above and beyond what is essential for breeding. Lifelong monogamy, extensive parental care, ongoing family contact, mourning of mates, and affectionate interactions all point to cardinals being birds that form loving, attached relationships.
So although they may seem like solitary red birds flitting through the trees, cardinals actually exhibit remarkable devotion. Their unique lifelong bonds, attentive parenting, and signs of grief when a mate is lost provide compelling evidence that cardinals do genuinely show affection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do cardinals show affection to their mates?
Cardinals show affection to their mates through behaviors like preening each other’s feathers, sharing food, singing duets together, staying close together, and defending joint territory. Male cardinals may also perform courtship rituals like allopreening to show affection.
What are some signs that cardinals mourn their deceased mates?
Some signs that cardinals are mourning a lost mate include calling out frequently, visiting their mate’s favorite spots, showing agitation or restlessness, and refusing to mate again for a long time. Their distress demonstrates the depth of the bond they shared.
How long do cardinals stay together as mates?
Cardinals mate for life, staying bonded and monogamous until one mate dies. Only around 1-3% of paired cardinals ever “divorce” and find new mates. So most cardinals remain loyally paired for several breeding seasons or more.
Do both male and female cardinals care for the young?
Yes, both male and female cardinal parents contribute extensively to caring for young. The female incubates the eggs, while the male gathers food. After hatching, both parents share feeding duties and defend the nest aggressively. This shared dedication shows their affection.
How long do cardinal families stay together?
Cardinal families stay united beyond the nesting stage. Parents continue feeding the fledglings for 2-3 weeks after they leave the nest. The young cardinals then remain with their parents through their first winter, foraging as a family group. This extended closeness reflects the birds’ ongoing affection.
Key Facts and Statistics
- There are 7 species of cardinals, with the Northern Cardinal being the most widespread in North America.
- Cardinals are monogamous songbirds, mating for life with one partner.
- The average lifespan of wild cardinals is 1-2 years, though captivity can extend their lifespans to 10-15 years.
- Cardinals produce 2-4 broods per mating season, with average clutch sizes of 3-4 eggs.
- Both sexes build the nest together over 3-9 days. The female incubates eggs for 11-13 days.
- Cardinal hatchlings fledge from the nest about 9-11 days after hatching.
- The oldest known wild Northern Cardinal was at least 15 years, 9 months old.
Cardinal Courtship Timeline
| Stage | Behavior | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Singing | Males sing to attract unmated females | Year-round |
| Bonding | Prospective mates perch and sing together | 2-3 weeks |
| Nesting | Mates build nest together | 3-9 days |
| Mating | Pairs copulate and female lays eggs | 3-6 days |
| Incubating | Female incubates eggs in nest | 11-13 days |
| Nestlings | Parents feed hatchlings in nest | 9-11 days |
| Fledglings | Young cardinals leave nest but stay with parents | 2-3 weeks |
This full breeding cycle from courtship to fledging takes 2-3 months. Then the mated pair starts the process again for a new brood. Cardinals may raise up to 4 broods in a single mating season before migrating or settling into winter patterns.
Cardinal Communication and Vocalizations
Cardinals have a wide repertoire of chirps, trills, and songs they use to communicate different messages and emotions. Here are some of their most common vocalizations and what they mean:
The Basic Cardinal Call
The typical “cheer, cheer” or “what-cheer” call of the cardinal is its most recognizable vocalization. Both males and females sing this, and it can convey different meanings in context:
- Advertising territory
- Calling to and identifying a mate
- Communicating with fledglings
- issuing alarm if threatened
Dawn Song
Male cardinals sing boisterous, complex melodies at dawn to mark territory and attract mates. Their dawn song includes stringing together 10-20 varied phrase types!
Short Calls
Cardinals make shorter chips, chirps, and tuts to signal:
- Feeding fledglings
- Staying in contact with their mate or family
- Warning others of danger
High-Pitched Trills
Both males and females sing rapid high-pitched trills. These most often function as intense warnings or alarms signalling immediate threats.
Soft Warbles and Coos
Cardinals make gentle warbling sounds and coos during courtship feeding with mates. These vocalizations reflect contentment and help strengthen pair bonding.
Fledgling Begging Calls
Hatchlings and fledglings make loud, rhythmic tic calls when hungry or needing care. Parents quickly respond by finding food for their demanding young!
Duets
Mated pairs sing synchronized duets together. The male and female alternate singing complementing parts. Duets communicate the strength of their bond.
By paying close attention to context, cardinal vocalizations can offer clues into their complex social relationships and emotional states. Their affectionate duets and gentle coos reflect a sensitivity not always associated with birds.
Interesting Cardinal Behaviors
Mate Feeding
As part of their courtship and pair bonding behaviors, male and female cardinals take turns regurgitating food into each other’s mouths. This mate feeding ritual strengthens social bonds between the mates but does not provide sustenance.
Nest Dummy
If their initial nest fails, female cardinals may build a dummy or decoy nest elsewhere in their territory. This appears to be an effort to confuse predators, diverting them from the active nest site.
Mimicry
Cardinals sometimes mimic the songs of over 20 other bird species. Mimicking songs may allow them to fool competitors about how many birds are defending a territory.
Gatherings
During non-breeding seasons, cardinals may gather in large same-sex flocks of a hundred or more birds. This gregariousness is unusual for a territorial songbird like the cardinal.
Colour Recognition
Cardinals can recognize and respond aggressively to the color red. Male cardinals will attack other red objects, like cardinal decoys or even red clothing, seeing them as rivals.
These intriguing behaviors reveal the hidden depths of the cardinal personality. They showcase the bird’s intelligence, communication skills, and surprising social complexity.
Conclusion
With their beautiful plumage and harmonious songs, cardinals have long captured people’s hearts and imaginations. But beyond their aesthetic appeal, a close look at cardinal behaviors reveals a surprisingly tender, family-oriented bird. Their lifelong devotion to mates, extensive parental care, and displays of grief show that cardinals form profound emotional attachments. They exhibit affection, not just instinct. So next time you see a dashing red cardinal gracing your garden, consider that you may be witnessing a real family love story unfolding.