birdsoup

Have you noticed that Cardinals tend to be the last birds to visit your feeder every day?  Just at dusk, when all the other species have nestled into their evening roosts, Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal quietly come to your feeder, or more often to the ground under the feeder.  They grab a quick bite and then retire to their evening roost.

 Why are they always late eaters?  No one knows for sure.  Some speculate that they are naturally shy, don’t like to draw attention, or they simply prefer not to eat with the crowd.  Or maybe, like me, they just like a snack before bedtime.

See if the Cardinal’s late eating tendency holds true in your yard.  Check your feeder at dusk or twilight and notice if the Cardinals show up.

 They are also among the first birds to feed in the morning, just after dawn.  But most people are not awake early enough to notice that.