Though they number in the millions there is nothing common about Cardinalis cardinalis . A male cardinal is bright red with black eyes and throat, sporting a definite red crest on the top of his head. The female, as it is with most wild birds, is less colorful, choosing a less flashy brownish-red muted coat of feathers. Luckily for the bird he grows his nice head of feathers back within a few weeks.
Cardinals mate for life and never take separate vacations.
It's not unusual to spot husband and wife dining at the backyard feeder together. They enjoy such delicacies as spiders, fruits, berries, insects, wild seeds and most of the staples at the bird feeder. Their favorite seed is probably any type of sunflower. Although he may prefer to eat on the ground or low in the bushes, you won't have to twist his wing for him to stop at the nearest hanging feeder with a platform for a quick snack of sunflower seed or peanut butter. The female may lay several clutches consisting of two to five eggs each during one season.