 This pair of Northern Cardinals was sighted April 4, 2000. |
In 1950, the Virginia General Assembly chose the Northern Cardinal as the state bird because of its bright plumage and cheerful song. In eighteenth-century England, the cardinal was called "the Virginia nightingale." Noted for its distinctive red plumage and pointed crest, it was named after the red robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. Its variable call, a loud "cheer cheer cheer" or "purty purty purty," is sung by both sexes (an unusual trait in northern songbirds) and can be heard year round. The cardinal is part of the finch family, and is the only all-red bird with a crest. |
