Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal
Adult male
- Bright red overall
- Black mask and throat
- Red crest
- Large, thick red bill
- © Ed Schneider, TN, White Creek, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Adult female
- Dull brown overall
- Dull red wings and tail
- Reddish crest
- Bright red bill
- © maia bird, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Adult male
- Large, thick red bill
- Long tail
- © Will Sweet, MA, Sharon, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Adult female
- Dull coloration
- Dull dark mask and chin
- Large, thick red bill
- © Debbie McKenzie, AL, February 2008
Northern Cardinal
Adult female
- Red wings, tail, and crest
- © Will Sweet, MA, Sharon, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Adult male and female
- Long body and tail
- Distinctive crests
- Thick bill red in both sexes
- © Glen Crippen, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Adult male
- Long red crest
- Black mask and throat
- Thick red bill
- © Judy Howle, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Immature male transitional
- Red feathers molting in give mottled appearance
- Immature males show variable amount of red, and may have bare patches
- © Jeff Hurd, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Juvenile
- Diffuse red on brown background
- Dusky bill
- © Raymond Belhumeur, December 2008
Northern Cardinal
Juvenile
- Red wings and tail, diffuse red elsewhere
- Dusky bill
- © Lisa Barker, December 2008
Similar Species
Adult male
- Similar to male Northern Cardinal
- No crest, red face
- Longer, gray bill
- © Gerry Dewaghe, May 2006
Adult male
- Similar to adult male Northern Cardinal
- Lacks long crest
- Dark gray nape and upperparts
- Dark mask mostly behind eye, throat and crown red
- © Joan Gellatly, Tucson, AZ, February 2009
Adult male breeding
- Similar to male Northern Cardinal
- Black wings
- No crest, red face
- Smaller, gray bill
- Shorter, black tail
- © quietriver250, IA, May 2008
Adult female
- Similar to female or immature Northern Cardinal
- Long, thin, red crest
- Rounded, dusky bill
- Red face
- © Joan Gellatly, Tucson, AZ, February 2009
Adult male (right)
- Similar to the female Northern Cardinal (left)
- Grayer overall with red face, crest, wings, and tail
- Stout, rounded, yellow bill
- Female cardinal has less rounded, more triangular bill; is brown rather than gray
- © Joan Gellatly, Portal, AZ, March 2009
Adult female
- Similar to female and immature Northern Cardinal
- Dark gray overall with ragged crest
- Wings with white edging
- Thin, black bill
- © Desert Vu, Clark Co., NV, January 2009
Adult male
- Similar to female Northern Cardinal
- Long, thin, red crest
- Rounded yellowish or dusky bill
- Clean gray overall with red stripe down belly and on wings and tail
- Red face
- © Tripp Davenport, Uvalde County, TX, January 2009
Adult male
- Similar to female Northern Cardinal
- Rounded yellowish or dusky bill
- Clean gray overall with red stripe down belly and on wings and tail
- Ranges overlap in southwestern U.S.
- © Sam Wilson, Tucson, AZ, February 2007