Cardinals

 

Lucky Cardinals. If a Cardinal is seen, that person will have good luck within 12 days. Red Cardinals represent life and hope and are believed to be divine messengers. Cardinals can be found on many bird-themed gifts, including sweaters. People believe the sighting of a Cardinal can be a sign of loyalty, or even a spiritual message. Cardinals, because of their beauty, dedication to mates, and musical songs, the sight of a Cardinal holds special meaning, sometimes evoking emotional or spiritual feelings. Northern Cardinals have been honored as the state bird of seven states.

 

The red coloration of Northern Cardinals' plumage are lovely and elegant. Northern Cardinals occasionally go bald, losing all the feathers on their heads, but is a natural part of their molting cycle. Males may sing all year round. Cardinals have a lilting song that resembles the words cheer-cheer-cheer.  Cardinals are monogamous birds that mate for life, gently offering seed to his mate in a kiss-like gesture.  In the 1800s, Northern Cardinals were popular as cage birds for their brilliant plumage and sweet songs. Cardinals are known to fiercely defend their territories. Cardinals are vibrant red birds that are found throughout the eastern United States, as far west as Arizona. In 1918, when the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed, it was no longer legal for individuals to keep a wild bird as a pet. The Northern Cardinal is a widely loved bird that brightens any dreary winter day with its flash of red feathers and warbling song.  

 

A recent study, that took place in Atlanta, Georgia, actually found that cardinals are one of the “super suppressors” of the West Nile Virus. Scientists compared populations of Atlanta birds and found Cardinals do not. This is because cardinals are biologically superior in suppressing the virus in their blood, making it almost virtually impossible for the virus to transmit to any other feeding mosquitoes. A flock of cardinals is called a college.