Last updated on May 11th, 2023 at 03:12 pm
The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is the official bird of seven states in the US. Although cardinals aren’t classified as native to Florida, the species is a common garden or backyard bird in the state.
Cardinals typically live in Florida throughout the year. The northern cardinals in Florida nest, breed, and winter in the state. Cardinals living in Florida may move to new nesting sites and other areas within their year-round range but don’t migrate beyond the state.
Cardinals Live in Florida Through All Seasons
Northern cardinals are not migratory nor are they rare birds to see in Florida.
The species has been expanding its habitat range northward over the years, but the birds occupying those areas become year-long residents.
Likewise, the Cardinals living in Florida are permanent residents.
Count your blessings because another backyard birder’s favorite, the hummingbird, is not in Florida all year round.
Where Do Cardinals Typically Live in Florida?
Cardinals are found throughout Florida, including in urban and suburban areas.
In fact, cardinals thrive in urban and suburban landscapes, which is the main reason for the species being able to expand its range in the north.
The same factor makes it a common backyard bird in Florida.
Here are the typical habitats of the northern cardinal in Florida:
- Towns
- Gardens
- Backyards
- City parks
- Thickets
- Woodlands
- Hedgerows
- Swamps
- Forest edges
- Forest clearings
- Overgrown fields
Cardinals live in semi-open and bushy habitats.
If your surrounding landscape is bushy or semi-open, including ornamental shrubs, you will likely draw some cardinals to your yard or garden.
Let the grass or undergrowth remain to provide the natural cover that the bird seeks.
Cardinals nest in dense foliage, including trees and shrubs. The nests are typically 3 to 15 feet high, hidden in the dense foliage of:
- Shrubs
- Trees
- Vines
If your backyard or surroundings have such suitable nesting sites, you may have cardinals breeding near or around your property.
The typical cardinal nesting sites in Florida include the following:
- Blackberry brambles
- Boxelder
- Coral honeysuckle
- Florida elm
- Flowering dogwood
- Grape vines
- Hawthorn
- Red cedar
- Rose bushes
- Spotted water hemlock
- Spruce and other pines
The nests at these sites are usually made of:
- Bark strips
- Fine grass
- Leaves
- Rootlets
- Twigs
- Weeds
While the northern cardinals live perennially in Florida because they don’t migrate, the species isn’t likely to use a nest again, despite raising more than one brood yearly.
That’s why you may find cardinals at one nesting site for a while, then leave after a few weeks.
When Do Cardinals Breed in Florida?
The northern cardinals living and breeding in Florida raise two to three broods yearly.
Most cardinals are unlikely to raise only one brood in a year unless there is a nesting hurdle, food scarcity, and other issues.
Spring is the nesting season for this species. Late spring to the end of summer is the breeding season for cardinals in Florida, but there are intervals between broods.
If a pair of northern cardinals raises one brood beginning from late March or early April, this couple won’t breed again until late May or June.
Some pairs may raise a second brood in July. But their breeding season is mostly over by September.
If you spot a northern cardinal during the breeding season, it is likely to be a male because the female is busy building the nest and then incubating the eggs.
While male cardinals bring the nesting materials to the female, the latter is exclusively in charge of incubation.
The breeding process per brood takes around 50 days, including the following:
- Site selection and nest building: Up to 10 days.
- Egg-laying, incubation, hatching: Up to 14 days.
- Feeding the fledglings in the nest: Up to 14 days.
- First flight of fledglings: An additional 10 days or so.
The male cardinal brings food to the nest while the female feeds the fledglings.
Meanwhile, the male cardinal is searching for a suitable nesting site for the second brood.
After the first brood’s fledglings begin to fly and forage, the couple moves to the second nesting site.
Thus, female cardinals aren’t easily spotted for more than 100 days during the breeding season. The duration is proportionately longer for pairs raising 3 broods.
How To Spot Cardinals Living in Florida
Spotting cardinals living in Florida is a cakewalk, especially adult males.
- An adult male cardinal is a red bird with a stout and thick red bill.
- The male cardinals have a majestic red crest, almost like a crown.
- Their tails are long and large, given their small to mid-sized bodies.
- Adult, breeding male cardinals have a distinct black mask and throat.
In contrast, the female cardinals living in Florida look quite different.
- Adult female cardinals have a red bill, but their body is pale brown.
- They have a crest, but it has reddish tinges instead of being all red.
- The reddish tinges are also found on the females’ wings and tails.
- Juveniles look like female cardinals, but their bills are black or gray.
How To Attract Cardinals to Bird Feeders
You may not have to attract cardinals in Florida if your area has an abundant natural food supply for this species, including but not limited to the following:
- Blackberry
- Buckwheat
- Corn
- Dewberry
- Dogwood
- Grasses
- Hackberry
- Mulberry
- Sedges
- Sumac
- Wild grape
Cardinals also eat various insects, such as:
- Beetles
- Butterflies
- Centipedes
- Cicadas
- Crickets
- Flies
- Katydids
- Leafhoppers
- Moths
- Spiders
Cardinals also love many types of bird seed and are among the most likely species to be drawn to sunflower seeds in a feeder.
You can load a tray or tube feeder with Kaytee Wild Bird Sunflower Food (available on Amazon.com), and the local cardinals will find it in no time.
This 5-pound pack has black oil sunflower seeds, a favorite of cardinals in Florida.
Also, these seeds will draw chickadees and a few other small birds.
The sunflower seeds in this Kaytee pack have the hulls intact. So, watching cardinals crack and crush sunflower seeds within their beaks is a delightful birding experience.
However, you might not want to deal with all the waste under the feeders and around your property.
You can check out Kaytee’s Sunflower Hearts and Chips Seed (available on Amazon.com) if you wish to avert a mess.
The 3-pound pack has hulled sunflower seeds that won’t create any waste. The hulled seeds won’t germinate after falling to the ground.