Fluffy Northern Cardinal

Here's a Northern Cardinal I met last December. These birds are in (surprise!) the cardinal family.

Though they're not generally a threat to humans, there are exceptions. With their stout beaks and biting force, they are one of the most "feared" birds among bird banders [1] who deal with passerines. (They can apparently draw blood.) Of course, if you're not holding one in the hand, this danger drops off to virtually nonexistent.

Though we didn't have an especially cold winter, this picture was taken back in January, and the weather may have been relatively cold. Many birds floof up their feathers in cold weather, giving them a rounder, softer look than when temperatures are warm. This fella looks a little rounder than I'd usually expect from a Northern Cardinal.

January 27, 2023 at Duke Farms
Photo 263365684, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] Bird banders catch small birds, usually in nets that resemble extremely fine badminton nets. They untangle the birds, take some measurements, put a very small band around 1 leg, record the data, and release the birds back into the wild.



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