BirdBrain Academy

Cardinals · Cardinalidae

Northern Cardinal sounds

Cardinalis cardinalis

A mid-sized crimson songbird with a prominent crest and coral beak, ranging from southeastern Canada through the eastern United States to Guatemala.

Learn bird sounds freeMore Northern Cardinal recordings
Northern Cardinal
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Listen to the Northern Cardinal

Each recording below is a short excerpt with its spectrogram, a picture of the sound. Time runs left to right and higher pitches sit higher up. Play each one, then look for the same shape in the next. Different recordings of the same bird help you learn the bird, not one clip.

Call · recording 1 Spectrogram of a Northern Cardinal call: time runs left to right and pitch rises upward

Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma, Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, 2012-11-16. XC112830 on xeno-canto, CC BY-SA 3.0. Five-second excerpt.

Call, Subsong · recording 2 Spectrogram of a Northern Cardinal call, subsong: time runs left to right and pitch rises upward

Recorded by steve, Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, 2024-02-01. XC870690 on xeno-canto, CC BY-SA 4.0. Five-second excerpt.

Song · recording 3 Spectrogram of a Northern Cardinal song: time runs left to right and pitch rises upward

Recorded by steve, Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, 2023-05-02. XC797998 on xeno-canto, CC BY-SA 4.0. Five-second excerpt.

What to listen for

The Northern Cardinal produces clear, whistled song patterns that are repeated several times and then varied, along with a distinctive short, metallic chip alarm call.

Many listeners write its call as “what-cheer, what-cheer”. Treat a written sound as a memory aid; individual birds and regions vary.

What it looks like

Males display a brilliant crimson red plumage with a black face mask, while females are fawn-colored with grayish-brown tones and a slight reddish tint; both sexes share prominent raised crests and bright coral-colored beaks, measuring 21–23.5 cm in length.

Where to find it

The Northern Cardinal inhabits woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands, where males are territorial and sing from elevated perches to defend their domain, often chasing off rivals and traveling with their mate.

BirdBrain regions that include this bird

  • Caribbean
  • Central America
  • Eastern Canada
  • Florida
  • Great Lakes
  • Mexico
  • Mid-Atlantic
  • New England
  • Plains
  • Polynesia
  • Rocky Mountains
  • Southeast
  • Southwest
  • Texas
  • Western Canada

Did you know?

  • The Northern Cardinal serves as the state bird of seven U.S. states—Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia—more than any other species.
  • The red coloration in males derives from carotenoid pigments in their diet.
  • It is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, with possession carrying fines up to $15,000 and six months imprisonment.

Learn the Northern Cardinal by ear

BirdBrain Academy teaches bird sounds with side-by-side listening and quizzes that use different recordings, so you learn the bird rather than one clip. Start with six free lessons, no signup needed. On your phone, Sound ID can name the birds singing around you.

Start studying freeGet the iPhone or Android app

Related birds

Species notes are adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and checked for BirdBrain. Recordings come from xeno-canto under the licenses shown with each one. Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Identification guidance is educational; birds vary, so confirm unusual sightings with local experts or eBird.