Northern Cardinal Eating Something

I saw this Northern Cardinal last summer but can't figure out what he's got in his beak. This seems to be a common issue with cardinals for me. I suppose this is because our diets are quite different, with cardinals eating berries that would make me sick, vegetation lying around on the ground, and (of course) bugs [1].

Northern Cardinals do have a pretty strong bite, so they probably can break through some of the softer shells that you might not expect them to be able to crack. I remember at Duke Farms' bird banding programs they would remark about how easily disgruntled cardinals would bite them and break the skin. 

July 4, 2023 at Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary
Photo 301260443, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] I probably relate better to the gull that steals your French fries.

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