# Do Cardinals migrate



## Overdew (Sep 7, 2004)

There were 14 cardinals around my bird feeder at 5 oclock tonight. Strange I thought only see a few at a time normally. So I looked it up and found this
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Resources/wbirds/birdid/cardinal.htm according to that they do not.
But we have lived here 8 years and only have seen a few at any time.
I spooked a bunch of them around the yard yesterday. Must just be alot found the feeder this year. By the way it was 7 males and 7 females, probably more in the trees that didn't come down to feed at the same time.
Weird though


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

According to my bird book they (Northern Cardinal) are a permanent resident.
I see them more often in the milder months but I do see them around all winter long here.


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## enfield (Apr 13, 2003)

I see them all winter, but not many. They're crowded out by the doves at my backyard feeding station. :lol:


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

There are some resident populations that stay all year and even during winter and the same with doves.I have been seeing alot of doves around lately.


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## Fishbum2 (Jan 15, 2005)

The cardinals at my feeder and late evening an early morning feeders. They are very skittish and don't like to be seen. We hear their call early in th morning where they sit in the top of the tallest tree to sing.

Doves are taking over the place and so are he mallard ducks. I have had as many as 20 ducks fly in to peck around the feeder. And the doves, I feed 'em and the hawks love to snack on 'em. You should see the doves blast off when the hawk flys over head.


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## Overdew (Sep 7, 2004)

Doves are taking over the place and so are he mallard ducks. I have had as many as 20 ducks fly in to peck around the feeder. And the doves, I feed 'em and the hawks love to snack on 'em. You should see the doves blast off when the hawk flys over head.[/quote]

Yep that is cool to see the panic when a hawk flys over.
All those cardinals are back out this morning and even more. The doves are not going to be happy. Yes we need a dove hunting season there are more doves than sparrows around here. And I tell ya those cardinals migrated from somwhere even if was a mile away.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I have had some resident Cardinals in my yard for the last 15 years - year round. I was in Mexico - South of Cancun, for the last 2 weeks, and saw a guy who had a bunch of different birds in cages at his house. One was a Cardinal, but he did not speak English (and I do not habla Espanol so good), so I couldn't find out where he acquired it.


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

I have heard bird enthusiest and writers call the Christmas Cardnals because they are here then and through out the winter. My feeder has them there all year long. Where you see on there is another present as they are almost always with their mates.

Thrugh out the whole winter I will have Cardnals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, doves, black birds, red headed woodpecker, wrens, waxwing, Junco, finch, and some other's less frequently.

I was wondering....Wouldn't bird feeders act as a good game indicator? When the birds are heavy on the feeder it would be good time to fish or hunt?


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## yooperkenny (Jul 13, 2004)

WILDCATWICK said:


> I was wondering....Wouldn't bird feeders act as a good game indicator? When the birds are heavy on the feeder it would be good time to fish or hunt?


WCW - I was thinking the same thing, as it seems there are flurries of bird feeding activity at certain times, and when I notice that I naturally think "I should be in the treestand right now". Those predictions of peak game/fish activity based upon lunar phases might apply to birds also - anyone know for sure?

Probably one of the few things I miss about downstate is seeing and hearing cardinals - they are quite rare in the Central UP from what I've seen.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Wildcatwick and yooperkenny, this is one of those "old wives tale" type of things I have heard before. Makes perfect sense but I doubt it has ever been scientifically confirmed, as if I care about that. But it makes sense except for the fact the weather above the waterline is sometimes different than below. Like 2 days after a major rain event it may be a great day outdoors but the river may just be starting to feel the effects of 2 days ago. As a general rule I think I buy into it though.


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