Coloring a Male vs Female Cardinal
Meet the cardinal - known for its vibrant red coloring popping from a background of white snow. These birds are one of the few species that stick around during the winter months. Have you seen one before?
If so, you have probably seen a male cardinal! It’s easy to identify a male cardinal since they are the ones with bright red feathers. Female cardinals are light brown colored with red accents. You will often find this with birds - where the male is brightly colored and more intricate. And the female has far less boldness in coloring, often time a light brown coloring or more camouflaged into her surroundings.
So why is this? There are many reasons but here are a few:
Female birds need to be camouflaged in order to avoid a predator attack while nesting with their eggs. If females that nest in the open were brightly colored, they would be easily seen by other hungry animals.
Males also use their colorful feathers as a way to get a females attention and compete for territory amongst other male cardinals.
Print off these 2 pages with your kiddo(s) and color each bird based on their unique shadings! Have fun learning about these winter birds.
