Red Masked Northern Cardinal Closeup

This stunningly colored bird was a welcome visitor in the mid-city oasis that is my back yard. Since Cardinals are not migratory, they stay put all year wherever they make their home – even if that’s a northern locale with harsh winters like this one in Ottawa, CA. They tend to choose the edges of woods, or the area around houses with lots of plants and shrubs to make their homes. And if there’s water for bathing and drinking, such as the small pond in my yard—all the better!

Typically, the Northern Cardinal pairs up for a year, and often, but not always, pairs will stay together until one dies, at which time the surviving mate will look for another partner.

So named because their feathers match a Cardinal's crimson robes, it’s actually only the male that has the distinctive bright appearance and black mask. Females tend to be a glossy brown or olive.