Cardinals mostly eat insects, seeds, buds, sap and fruit. They lay about 3-4 eggs at a time which hatch in 12-13 days.

The cardinal is one of the most well-known songbirds in North America. While the male (pictured here) is almost entirely red, the female is more of an olive-gray color with red rings. Both the males and the females have crests. They typically build their nests in vines or deep thickets. They can raise up to four broods in succession, with the male caring for the newly hatched nestlings while the female sits atop the next brood.