The cardinal is known as the Christmas Card Bird because it adorns more Christmas cards than another other bird.  It is easy to understand why this is the case.  A glimpse of a male cardinal perched in a holly tree or bare limb dogwood tree that seems to be frosted with white icing is something you cannot forget.

       We often take the cardinal’s breathtaking plumage for granted without giving any thought to why it is so red.  The truth of the matter is the brightness of its colors is greatly affected by the food it eats.  It seems the brightest cardinals are those that eat lots berries, fruits and flower seeds.  Consequently, it is no coincidence male cardinals eat more of these foods during the mating season when they are trying to impress mates.