Many people in the north are cheered to see a vibrant cardinal in their yard during the dark, dreary winter months. There’s a reason why so many people go to great lengths to attract cardinals: they’re thought to bring good fortune and loyalty to their owners.
Most populations of northern cardinals can be found in the aforementioned regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, South, Southeast, and Southwestern), as well as in Mexico and Central America. They are so widespread that even the southernmost parts of Canada have some.
Because they don’t migrate, cardinals are easy to see in the winter, especially against a white background of snow. In order to entice cardinals to visit your backyard, consider the following tips.
1. Understand the cardinal diet
What kind of food do cardinals typically eat? Cardinals are omnivores, consuming seeds, fruit, insects, and plant buds. During the summer breeding season, they eat bugs, especially soft-bodied insects like caterpillars, despite the fact that plants make up about 75% of their diet. If you want to attract cardinals to a bird feeder, plant things like dill, fennel, hollyhock, snapdragons, and mustard greens that cater to butterflies.
