The Surprising Life of a Cardinal | Nature Documentary
In this video, we take a look at the exciting lives of northern cardinals, and what they get up to behind the scenes.
Find us here too!
Patreon: www.Patreon.com/Fireoflearning
Fire of Learning: / fireoflearning
The following music performed by Kevin Macleod Available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
Download available at incompetech.com
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G, Movement I (Allegro), BWV 1049 [orig. by JS Bach]
These songs provided by the KZhead audio library
Lazy River Rag
Wishful thinking
Sources
www.nationalgeographic.com/an...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21939...
www.nature.com/articles/s4159...
www.audubon.org/field-guide/b...
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/N...
www.allaboutbirds.org/news/i-...
www.iucnredlist.org/species/2...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North...
animaldiversity.org/site/acco...
www.dept.psu.edu/nkbiology/na...
www.birdhouses101.com/cardinal
www.scientificamerican.com/ar...
www.nationalgeographic.com/an...
www.wild-bird-watching.com/Ca...
Picture Attributions
By Andy Morffew, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Félix Uribe, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By marti175 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Atsme - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By photochem_PA from State College, PA, USA - Baby cardinal in a tree, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Ryan Hodnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Pamela D Waller - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By JoshuaDavisPhotography - Baby Cardinal, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Rhododendrites - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Tony Alter from Newport News, USA - Baby CardinalUploaded by theveravee, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Mike's Birds - Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) at the feederUploaded by Magnus Manske, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Andrew Weitzel from Lancaster, PA, USA - Mohwak, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith - N. Cardinal, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Mike's Birds from Riverside, CA, US - Northern Cardinal, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Rwgp65 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
By Pamela D Waller - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
I have a bird feeder hanging outside my screened porch. One day a cardinal landed on it, took a seed and hopped into my hibiscus bush where his wife was hiding and began feeding her. He hopped back and forth many times from the feeder to the bush. So cute!
Thank you for commenting. I've seen this too.
"Cardinals are also themselves food to cats, dogs, birds of prey, and your weird cousin." -lucinox/fire of learning
they're no match for my pressure washer either
So it is a "History of food" episode
dogs ? dogs couldn't catch a mouse, if they catch a bird it's juveniles learning to fly or a sick bird.
@@ericastier1646 so what of that means they can't be caught?
@@nunyabisnass1141 it seems you're a child for asking that question. Well they can be caught but not by dogs unless the bird is a youngster.
We adore cardinals, and have many couples/families in our backyard along with bluejays, woodpeckers, finches, doves, swallows, sparrows, and even road runners. Between them and the squirrels we can’t keep the feeders full fast enough. Seeing them brings so much joy to our family. Thanks for the video!
That laugh at the end was very people like
I'm gonna have to share this one with my wife. She enjoys the birds that visit our yard in Arkansas, which often include the local cardinals. Thank you for another informative (and wonderfully dry comedic) video. Stay well out there everybody, and God bless you, friends. ✝️ :)
That's one bird that I really miss. I no longer live within their range. Beautiful to look at & beautiful to listen to.
I learned a lot about the truly interesting and good looking Cardinal Bird while being entertained! This video I did especially enjoy. I think the Quality of your productions are Top Notch! Specifically your style and how you present topics, is what makes me like your videos more than those of other Science and Information KZhead channels. The Objective tone, apart from the (mandatory) odd joke, clearly structured and scripted presentations are Qualities which make your videos valuable to watch. Thank you for making them. PS: I appreciate that you are Providing sources (which is no doubt rare on KZhead).
I’ve had a male cardinal repeatedly attack the same window for the past two years during the same 10 hour timespan. My mom was convinced it was gradma trying to visit in the afterlife, but I always knew there was a real reason. cool! Haven’t seen him in a couple months, hopefully he’s okay
Probably off fighting another of his reflections somewhere
I have had the same experience with a male and female cardinal. I never had this problem until I put a black sheet over the window. It would take too long to explain why I did this.
My mom and a friend also believe that cardinals are dead family members coming to visit. Interesting that people associate cardinals with their lost ones
I have a cardinal that does the same thing!
Probably after bugs on the glass we don't see!
earlier this summer i saw a yellow cardinal in new england! i had no idea they were so rare
man - you're like - a tamed Zefrank... and i love it
we have cardinals in our yard we love putting seeds out for them and all the birds
Great video as always. Never would have thought cardinals would be so interesting
dang dude I freaking love these little guys
Blue jays are also beautiful and interesting
Not mentioned was one of cardinals most destructive enemies. The native "cowbird" will remove cardinal eggs from the nest and lay eggs in the nest to be hatched and reared by the cardinals. Cowbirds do not build nests of their own. They are parasitic. Their eggs resemble cardinal eggs but are slightly larger. If any cardinal eggs are left in the nest and hatched with a cowbird egg the baby cardinals are doomed because the cowbird baby is larger than the little cardinals and out competes the cardinals at feeding time. Cowbirds also parasitize other species such as robins, doves and species that build open nests in brushy/woods habitat.
@Gerard Johnson Doves are completely unsuitable hosts for cowbirds (Brown Headed Cowbirds here in most of the US; there are many more species of cowbirds in Central and South America, and some rear their own young, others can benefit their hosts in very surprising ways), because baby doves feed by pushing their swollen dodo like bills into the throat of their parents, who regurgitate food that the babies ingest by suction. The parents don't push solid foods into the mouths and throats of gaping nestlings for them to attempt to swallow. Hatchling doves are fed on a mix of predigested crop (lower gullet) lining, digestive enzymes, and (very importantly) parental antibodies collectively known as "crop milk" or "pigeon milk". This is not a secretion, though it includes secretions; it is the predigested lining of the parents' crops. As the babies grow, they are given increasing % of seeds mixed with the crop milk. Because of their completely different feeding technique, cowbird nestlings that hatch in dove nests quickly starve after hatching. I've never known female cowbirds to remove an egg from the clutch of foster parents, though many species of cuckoos that parasitize other birds routinely do this. Some cuckoos (Roadrunners, Yellow Bills, Black Bills) rear their own young, and many cuckoos also do not remove eggs from host nests. Some female cowbirds and cuckoos are now known to retaliate by destroying the brood of foster parents who reject their egg or baby. Most American Robins and Gray Catbirds nevertheless remove cowbird eggs from their nests.
@@motherlandbot6837 You mentioned that Cowbirds can benefit their hosts in surprising ways, can you speak about that? Do they provide surveillance when the foster parents are away perhaps?
@@xgp_ryu4185 The Giant Cowbird (Molothrus oryzivorus) of Central America attempts to parasitize, among other hosts, Chestnut Headed Oropendolas (Psarocolius wagleri), and Yellow Rumped Caciques (Cacicus cela), both of which usually remove cowbird eggs deposited in the nests. The two host species are Icterids related to New World Orioles and more distantly, to cowbirds. They nest colonially, preferentially next to wasp colonies as these insects prey on botflies (Philornis) that fatally parasitize nestling birds. The female flies deposit an individual egg on host nestlings; the maggot bores beneath the skin, and cannot be removed without Human intervention after this occurs. It feeds on the blood and tissues of its' host, killing it as or after the maggot emerges for pupation. In the absence of suitable wasp colonies, parents of these two species usually tolerate Giant Cowbird eggs in their nests. The nestling cowbird attacks botflies in response to their flight sounds before its' eyes open, snapping and pecking at the fly in response. It removes and destroys botfly eggs not only from itself, but from its' foster siblings as well. A maggot that hatches on a foster nestling can crawl onto another bird, including a cowbird, before burrowing under the skin. Thus the cowbird nestling, though an active competitor with its' foster siblings, also protects them against the greater danger of botfly parasitoidy. A search on this subject will access a public domain research paper on this switch from parasitism to mutualism. ("Symbiosis" is routinely used as a synonym for mutualism by laypeople, but it includes parasitism [and parasitoidy] and commensalism as well.)
What is a cowbird, and do they taste like beef?
@@xgp_ryu4185 I would have posted links to public domain scientific references on this subject, but KZhead removed most external and internal links. At the same time, their comment boards are filling with spammers and scammers who they refuse to control.
Very informative. Thank you for this great video! I live in a city in eastern Canada and we have many cardinals living in our neighborhood. I had the chance to see a couple raising two broods within a few months while they inhabited their nest behind our condo complex. They were avoiding humans but were trusting enough to build a second nest near the back door across from the first nest and raise another family. I found them quite hard working and admire their resilience. Always flying around looking for food to feed their babies. We’re lucky to witness such marvel of nature. To me they are little angels ❤️
I sincerely loved this video. Hope to see more!!
Man I love learning about birds there are just so interesting to me just like any spices they have alot of biodiversity in then but almost all of them can do one of the most coolest thing fly
We had a family right outside our kitchen window a few years back, they continue to return each year, hatching a new generation
This informative video was meant for me. Ha. I am a Cardinal fan. I have 20 or Cardinals coming to my lawn daily.......along with mourning doves, house finches, and believe it or not an occasional red bellied Woodpecker! I have seen male cardinals feeding their offspring in my yard as well as teaching their young how to forage for food. Thankyou for this excellent video on our little friends.
Nice to know all of this, but they are just a glorious sight in nature.
I love cardinals they even have their own baseball and football team
That was cool. Here in Pennsylvania they are everywhere.
good to see more on your second channel!
Don't forget about your northern neighbour eh! Cardinal are also common in southern Canada.
"Jerry Springer is big in the Cardinal world." Subscribed.
Oh excited for this one! ❤
My weird Cousin??? LOL! Subscribed. You also have a great sense of humor, story-telling / teaching voice.
Being from Europe, I didn’t know the cardinal. The first time I saw them was on a jigsaw puzzle, with a painting made by Nancy Wernersbach. I thought the bird was a product of her fantasy. Until I saw one life on the KZhead channel of Lesley the bird nerd. That was like a fairy tale coming to life. 😀
Very good video. Informative, clear annunciation, and I like the humor.
I am glad I watched. Thank you.
I hear them many times a day( and love their songs)here in Ontario but don't see them much in summer, especially when the trees have leaves on them ❤❤❤❤
With the back of my house having an exposed basement, my first floor looked like the second. With part of the deck enclosed as a 3 season room, the rest was a container garden. I had bird feeders on shepherd hooks & hanging from the gutter. While watching one day, a cardinal pair landed on the railing. He stepped closer to her & ruffled his feathers. He repeated this as he gradually puffed himself up. She stepped closer. One more ruffle and they mated. He brought her seed from the feeder and eventually, they flew off. It was awesome.
Care for a cocktail?
Mic 1 won the selection process i see. Cool! Nice video Justin. keep up the cool stuff!
Very informative enjoyed. A friend & I rescue songbirds when they migrate thru the city, birds hit the glass skyscrapers or fall to the cement, most do not survive. A recent youtube video shows us in Newark NJ, the video is named( Volunteers give migrating birds injured in N.J’s biggest city a second chance ) The Raptor Trust made video named ( Window Strikes in the Business District ) of us picking up injured Warblers. Never rescued a Cardinal, but Scarlet Tanagers which is another red bird migrates and hits the building I've rescued those
Awesome documentary, Thank you sir.
Very informative- thank you!
Beautiful.....I love these....
Very enjoyable and informative and relaxing.
Great video!
That video was a treat, thank you ^_^
I find that Cardinals tend to be rather shy however I've had a very friendly male Cardinal come to my porch for years and seek me out around my property. He mainly wants peanuts from me - either shelled or if it's in the shell, I just crack the end open and he picks it up and flies off into a bush to eat it or bring to his very shy mate. If I'm inside, he will try to get my attention through windows and sometimes he will just chirp at me from a bush across the street and I'll take some peanuts out to throw for him on my way to the mailbox. It's the only Cardinal that's ever really tried to interact with me. I had Blue Jays that got boisterous in demanding peanuts years ago and this Cardinal kind of fell into that pack and realized I was giving out treats and just stuck around. Beautiful birds.
So each day, I go out into the back yard and play cardinal sounds from youtube. Within about a minute I get dive bombed by a cardinal. Even if I mimick the whistle, the cardinal will dive bomb me. Such an amazing bird. He and is dull wife are welcome any ole time in my yard!
One of the most gorgeous songbirds on the planet 😊😊😊
Very informative
Funny, entertaining and informative. Thank you.
i enjoyed it, but you could of did about two less ha ha's at the end. Been watching and better yet listening to bird song all my life, and according to where i've lived the red bird has had his own song variation. my strangest experience was in a park in merrick ny. there i heard a most beautiful song coming from deep in a hidden swampy area, so curious i ventured in. i looked and looked and finally found the shy singer, and much to my surprise it was a cardinal. what astounded me was the unique quality of the song in pureness and variation had totally thrown me off. This must have been 30 years ago and I'll never forget it. I enjoyed your post and if you'd like to hear more of my cardinal experiences comment and I'll tell you more.
Please tell us more
I love ur channels, I love ur content & I ESPECIALLY love how long u held the laugh on that gem at the end of this video LMAO, Please do keep up the amazing work my friend. If/when able, I fully intend on contributing something toward ur channel.
Cardinals are so pretty, I think its even better when you see them in the winter
We live on the Big Island of Hawaii and thoroughly enjoy our "our" neighborhood cardinals!
I love Cardinals and your humor!
Fish: *peeks up out of the surface of the pond, looks around* Fish: "Daddy, feed me!" Daddy Cardinal: "Okay."
Excellent!!
Jerry Springer is BIG in the cardinal world lololollll ya got me there!!
Great job, made me laugh multiple times.
Fantastic
Awesome Video!
The laugh at the end made me shit myself
Great presentation!
OMG THE PAINTING AT THE END!!
Audio sounds great!!!
Well done, informative, concise and thorough. A male cardinal took up residence in my backyard and would attack the mirror on the drivers side of my truck. He never missed an opportunity to peck, spit and defecate on my mirror no matter how many times I drove the truck in a day. He was relentless. I miss him, somewhat
💖 Beautiful.
Very video.
Very very indeed, Heather
much bird
Good work. I always wondered about them as they are all around Newark nj my town
Very interesting video, this was a pleasant surprise to find in my recommended especially since the Cardinal is our state bird!
I love this
Funny, funny funny.. I should ✔️out your other offerings 👍🎀
Solid! Top KEK!
This was a very informative documentary about cardinals. Thank you for sharing it with us. I have both a male and female Northern cardinal in my yard. There looks to be a 2nd male as well, which could be their son. I have seen the male feed the female, also. It would be great if a yellow cardinal made its way over to my area in Florida, too, but I know that is wishful thinking. 🍀
i was in the north side of Atlantic City a few years back. I saw a male cardinal drag a huge cicada down into the middle of a busy street and violently savage it. Then a seagull swooped in and stole it.
interesting 👍👍
I love Northern cardinals ... But when I saw a desert cardinal pair in my apartment complex in Az. I thought I could die... people say cardinals are an loved one visiting... I felt like that seeing those birds that day.
Precious crest heads.
I cant wait for spring , i feed the birds and in april lots of birds bring their babies to my yard to feed them. ❤❤❤
Lol!!!! What a Fun and Informative Cardinal Mini Doc!! Thank You!! I love my Backyard Cards, and even have a BALDY who looks more like a red Buzzard the past few months!! But, he seems to be looking better. I only recently learned about the parasite/ mite or lice that causes this to continue? First time I have ever seen this.. Anyway, I feed all my ' friends' peanuts, sunflower seeds, occasional fruits..and water when its dry/ hot..which reminds me, got to get out later and do that! Niw, I'm curious as to what vegetation they really like? Maybe cedar/ juniper berries..some trees in the alley..otherwise mostly hardwoods and some non-berry shrubs thst I can tell.. They sing, call most of the time. I call them in with my voice, or the microwave button sound when I make coffee, or want to let them know I just tossed out some feed. Often Mr. or Mrs. Squirrely might get there before, or Blue Jays etc.. Anyhoo, I have a good rapport with them and wish they lived longer! Take Care!!👍🐦🙋🏻♀️😇
🤓 fascinating Thank you 🙏
Wow, I REALLY enjoyed this video. It's very well done, I'm looking forward to watching more!! May I suggest a couple of my favorite species? Perhaps the piping plover, Mountain bluebird, or Eastern bluebird! Thanks for doing what you do, cheers!
Wonderful topic, birds :) Maybe also Jays, finches, and nuthatch!
Wow...I did not know they livevfor 28 years..,fascinating...thanknyou for your most informative presentation for adults....indeed my name sake...
Yellow ones? I have a long term family of them in my yard that were born there 3 years ago
i love when the cardinals come to the feeders.
I couldn’t not think of shiny pokemon when you talked about the yellow cardinal
Thank you for this video. The only thing that could improve this is if you added the 16 calls (Nope i take it back ive heard every one of those calls in the south east my whole life. I know them well). These little guys truly are our neighbors .
They are adorable
Good Video 👍
WHY AM I JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS CHANNEL
Que belleza
I have alot of these guys (and blue Jays) year round at my feeders. Always wondered why!
I take pics of birds daily, this is one of my favs and poses are great. Can you do one on Mourning Doves? I love them, their so cute! Peace~
Your documentary made me laugh and I learned a few things about cardinal's secret Jerry Springer approved lifestyles!
Very informative, thank you. Would have loved the addition of their “song” .
Saw my first one in New Orleans in 1978. Now I have a nesting couple in Southern Ontario.
Well now I know Cardinals are playboys of the bird world!
First
Lol the owner of the channel
the weird cousin joke almost knocked me out of my chair.
I wish you could make more videos about birds!
Oh yeah I have seen plenty of time these birds before where my moms live in Union, NJ she live in a Subs area and I have see different type of birds in her huge backyard!
cool vid! less weird laughing svp!
Thank you for mentioning Hawaii in this. We occasionally hear their “Twee Twee Twee Twewewewewe…”
Very interesting 🤨