I’ve become completely spoiled by my winter flock of Northern Cardinals, and I’m really going to miss them when they pair off and disappear for breeding season. For months I’ve been able to look out the window at any time of day and see at least one cardinal on the feeders—or sometimes 3 or 5 or 11.
Cardinals like to feed and forage on or near the ground. In winter’s past I would occasionally see them on my hopper feeders, but it was usually very early in the morning or very late in the day—just moments before dark. In fall I switched to all platform feeders and the cardinals seem to love them even though they are all set 5 to 7 feet above the ground (thanks to pesky squirrels). Perhaps they think or know they can escape danger faster from a platform feeder.
Whatever the reason for their constant presence this winter they’ve been a beautiful blessing, and I hope many of them return next winter and bring their offspring!
