The bright red cardinal contrasts with the white snow. The female is more of a brush color to blend with their nests ( see Link ) but you can tell it is a cardinal from their beak to their feathers being hinted in red. I like cardinals for all the wrong reasons. I should like them for their songs and their courtship and the way both care for their youngsters, but I usually always think of a cardinal not for all of their qualities but for their bright red color. Fortunately, I have never seen a hawk catch a cardinal but I have seen them catch all the other birds we have in our backyard.
These are stunning shots Abe…. the snow allows the red to jump right out at you… what lovely birds these are… we don’t get these over here…we do get a winter visitors called a Waxwing ( http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/w/waxwing/index.aspx ) They seem to be similar with the crest but don’t have the finch like beak, their colouring is very different more like the female Cardinals but a tad more colourful… I once saw a flock of Waxwings… far to many to count going from tree to tree through a local woods…
I remember your waxwings. I think they are even prettier than our cardinals.
Abe, the cardinal is beatiful and especially in the snow. This is the state bird of VA and we have seen many at the backyard feeders. Unfortunaly, one was attacked by a hawk a few weeks ago.
The cardinals are beautiful birds. I am especially enamored with the new ones that are flying but immature. I like the adults too.