Question: is it illegal to kill a cardinal in north carolina

title: Northern cardinal
text: The northern cardinal is found in residential areas throughout its range . Backyard birders attract it using feeders containing seeds , particularly sunflower seeds and safflower seeds . Although some controversy surrounds bird feeding , an increase in backyard feeding by humans has generally been beneficial to this species . It is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List , with an estimated global range of 5,800,000 km ( 2,200,000 sq mi ) and a global population of some 100 million . Populations appear to remain stable and not threatened to reach the threshold of inclusion as a threatened species , which requires a decline of more than 30 % in ten years or three generations . It was once prized as a pet due to its bright color and distinctive song . In the United States , this species receives special legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 , which also banned their sale as cage birds . It is also protected by the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds in Canada . It is illegal to take , kill , or possess northern cardinals , and violation of the law is punishable by a fine of up to US $15,000 and imprisonment of up to six months . 

Answer: answer: In the United States , Northern cardinal receives special legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 , which also banned their sale as cage birds . It is illegal to take , kill , or possess northern cardinals , and violation of the law is punishable by a fine of up to US $15,000 and imprisonment of up to six months .
answer: Yes.  In the United States , Northern cardinal receives special legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 , which also banned their sale as cage birds . It is illegal to take , kill , or possess northern cardinals , and violation of the law is punishable by a fine of up to US $15,000 and imprisonment of up to six months .