Northern Cardinal Care Guide: Aviary Housing, Diet and UK Rules

The northern cardinal – the "red cardinal" or, as older UK keepers call it, the Virginian cardinal – is a bold, beautiful songbird that does best in a roomy planted aviary rather than a cage indoors. Cocks are bright scarlet, both sexes sing, and they are lively, confident birds. The flip side is that they can be fiercely territorial, so they suit someone who wants to watch and listen rather than handle, and who has the space to give a pair their own flight.

Northern cardinal quick facts

• Scientific name: Cardinalis cardinalis, from North and Central America
• Size: roughly 21–23cm long, weighing around 45g
• Lifespan: sources vary a lot, but with good care they can live well into their teens
• Temperament: active, alert and territorial – not a hands-on pet
• Song: loud, clear whistles; unusually, hens sing too
• Sexing: cocks are red all over with a black face mask; hens are warm buff-brown with red tinges on the crest, wings and tail

Is it legal to keep a northern cardinal in the UK?

Yes – captive-bred northern cardinals can be kept in the UK. They are not listed under CITES, so they don't need an Article 10 certificate (that paperwork applies to the most protected species). A few sensible points all the same:

• Only buy captive-bred birds from someone who can tell you where they were bred. Ask for a receipt with the breeder's details and, if the bird is close-ringed, a note of the ring number.
• In the USA wild cardinals are protected and can't be kept or sold as cage birds, so UK birds come from captive-bred aviary stock. Be wary of anyone vague about a bird's origins.
• Never release one or let it escape. Under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it's an offence to release, or allow to escape, any animal that isn't ordinarily resident in Great Britain. A safety porch on your aviary is a must.

Not to be confused with the red-crested cardinal

The red-crested cardinal (Paroaria coronata), sometimes sold as the Brazilian cardinal, is a different bird altogether – a grey-and-white South American tanager with a red head. The red-cowled and yellow-billed cardinals are its cousins. They're also lovely aviary birds, but their care isn't identical, so check exactly which "cardinal" you're looking at.

Housing a northern cardinal

Cardinals are strong fliers and keepers find they lose condition and colour when kept indoors in cages. A planted outdoor aviary is the right home.

• Go big. The RSPCA suggests an aviary at least four times the wingspan of the largest bird; a cardinal's wingspan is around 25–31cm, and most keepers go well beyond that minimum.
• One pair per aviary. Cocks will see off other males and can bully smaller birds, especially in the breeding season. Some will even attack their own reflection, so avoid mirrors and shiny surfaces.
• Plant it up. Dense shrubs give cover and nesting spots, and they help a nervous bird settle. Add natural branches at different heights and thicknesses – a Happy Pet Branch Perch is a good start in the shelter.
• Easy-clean floor. A layer of Cage Proud Aviary Sand on the shelter floor makes daily cleaning easy.
• Catching up. For health checks or moving birds, a padded net like the Sky Pet Products Padded Bird Net is much kinder than chasing them round with bare hands.

Keeping cardinals warm in a UK winter

In the wild, northern cardinals live as far north as southern Canada, so they cope with cold. What they don't like is the wet, windy weather we get here on the coast. Give them:

• A solid, dry, draught-free shelter they can use at all times, with perches higher than the flight perches so they choose to roost inside
• At least a third of the aviary roofed and sheltered from rain and wind
• Water checked morning and evening in frosty weather so it doesn't freeze
• Extra food in the shelter on short winter days

If your bird is new to outdoor life, ask whoever bred it how it was kept, and acclimatise it gradually in spring or summer rather than putting it out in November.

What do northern cardinals eat?

Cardinals are omnivores: mostly seeds and fruit, plus insects – and the youngsters are raised mainly on insects. A good captive diet looks like this:

• Seed base: a small-seed mix such as Bestpets Foreign Finch, with some sunflower seed added – the Bestpets Cockatiel & Parakeet Exotic Bird Mix has plenty in it and their big beaks crack it easily.
• Softbill or insectivore food: a quality softbill mix, offered daily.
• Live food: mealworms, crickets and waxworms, a few a day, and more when they're breeding. Dust live food with a calcium and vitamin powder such as Vetark Nutrobal.
• Fruit and greens: berries, chopped apple (no pips), pear, grapes, chickweed and seeding grasses from unsprayed ground.
• Never feed: avocado, chocolate, onion, garlic, fruit stones or apple pips, or salty, sugary or fatty leftovers.

Fresh, clean water every day for drinking and a shallow dish for bathing – they love a splash.

Daily, weekly and monthly care

• Daily: fresh food and water, take away uneaten fruit and live food, have a quick look at each bird and its droppings.
• Weekly: scrub dishes and bath, rake or refresh the shelter floor, check the mesh and doors for gaps.
• Monthly: deep clean the shelter, replace soiled perches, check nails and beak, trim plants and look for rot or damage.

Signs your cardinal needs an avian vet

Like all birds, cardinals hide illness until they're quite poorly, so act early if you see:

• Fluffed up, sleepy, or sitting low on a perch or the floor
• Tail bobbing or breathing with the beak open
• Changes in droppings, or eating and drinking much more or less
• Runny eyes or nostrils, sneezing or crusty skin around the face
• Injuries from fighting, feather loss or lameness

Not every vet sees birds, so find an avian vet before you need one.

Northern cardinal FAQ

Can I keep a cardinal in a cage indoors?

We wouldn't recommend it. They are big, active birds that need to fly, and they do best in an aviary with planting and fresh air.

Can cardinals live with other birds?

Generally not with other cardinals, apart from a single pair, and they can be rough with small finches. Some keepers house them with large, robust birds, but watch closely – they get more aggressive in the breeding season.

Do female cardinals sing?

Yes. Hens sing too, which isn't the case with a lot of songbirds. The cock's song is very loud, so think about the neighbours.

Is my cardinal safe in the house for a while?

If a bird has to come indoors, keep it away from the kitchen. Fumes from overheated non-stick (PTFE/Teflon) pans can kill birds quickly, and smoke, aerosols and plug-in air fresheners are harmful too.

Pop in and see us

We sometimes have northern cardinals in the Grimsby shop at 125-127 Corporation Road – pop in or give us a ring on 01472 267480 to see who's in. We're always happy to talk through aviary set-ups and diets, and we can help you put together everything a new bird needs.

This guide is general advice and isn't a substitute for advice from an avian vet. If you're worried about your bird, please speak to your vet.