Red birds–also known as Northern Cardinals–are popular images in holiday decor. Their bright red beaks and crimson feathers make them eye-catching additions to Christmas cards and ornaments, but how the birds became associated with the holiday season is a more mysterious story. That tale begins with the color red, a hue with many Christmastime connections, and spans the winter season, the habits of cardinals, and the symbolism that has developed around them over the course of centuries. These birds are so deeply associated with the holiday season that they have even inspired holiday stories, like Fannie Flagg’s 2004 novel A Redbird Christmas. Their connections to ideas of love, loss, hope, and remembrance are additional aspects of their seasonal appeal.

Red Birds In Winter

One reason for cardinals’ association with the holidays is that they often visit in winter. Also, when they do appear in wintry landscapes, they are usually the brightest moving things as far as the eye can see. When cardinals appear in their bright colors in the cold months, they echo the saturated shades typical of holiday decor.

According to All About Birds at Cornell University, “Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards.” The male cardinals that visit our homes are especially vibrant. They’re the bright red birds with pointed crowns that you see flitting around trees and feeders. Female cardinals have more muted feathers, with brown and gold-flecked plumage in addition to tufts of red at the crown and tail.

Red Birds In The Garden

With their eye-catching hues, red birds can also be seen as hopeful visitors and reminders of spring to come. They survive the harsh winter by feeding on seeds, berries, and all manner of insects. If you would like to entice cardinals to visit your home in winter, you can maintain bird feeders and bird baths, and you can also ensure that your yard has plenty of leafy shrubs and trees in which the birds can find shelter.

While they typically forage on the ground, they nest in dense growth habits of low shrubs. The birds appreciate a bevy of berries in wintertime. Cold-weather plants that are known to attract songbirds include purple chokeberry (Aronia x prunifolia) and American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens). American hollies (Ilex opaca), winterberry hollies (Ilex verticillata), and evergreen viburnums (Viburnum sp.) are also known to attract cardinals.

The Religious Symbolism Of Red Birds

Unsurprisingly, the birds’ connection with the color red gave them their name. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, northern cardinals are associated with legends across a variety of cultures and religions. The almanac tells how cardinals received their moniker, explaining, “When European settlers arrived in North America, they noticed these birds’ bright red hue and how closely it resembled the red vestments of Roman Catholic leading bishops. And the bird’s jaunty crest is similar in shape to the church officials’ headgear, especially the tall, pointed mitre.” These religious associations may have helped to make the cardinal a popular holiday bird, and their eye-catching red color has made it easy to continue to associate them with Christmas.

Red Birds’ Evocation of Love and Loss

Beyond the obvious associations with the color red, cardinals have also long been symbols of loved ones who have died. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, “It is common folklore that a visit from a cardinal represents a sign from a loved one who has passed. While this belief cannot be traced to a single origin, birds have often symbolized heavenly visitors, messengers to the gods, or even the gods themselves in feathered form.” These personal and sentimental resonances can also connect the birds to Christmas, a season when we often think of our families and those who are no longer with us.

Further Red Bird Reading

To attract these vibrant birds into your environment, consider the best bird feeders for the job. You will not just attract cardinals, but a bevy of other winged lovelies. If you would like to read a novel about red birds and their holiday resonances, pick up Fannie Flagg’s novel A Redbird Christmas. For kids, there’s Snow Birds, a book about how birds survive the cold winter weather.

Red birds have come to hold many symbolic connections during the holiday season and beyond. Their meaning at Christmastime differs from individual to individual, but they are nonetheless a frequent visitor in holiday motifs appearing in home decor, Christmas cards, and tree ornaments. When you see a Northern Cardinal this winter, it may offer an opportunity for reflection. While it is always a glimpse of warmth in a cold landscape, this season you might just be inspired to take a moment and think about exactly what a redbird’s visit means to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the average lifespan of the Northern Cardinal?

  Northern cardinals have an average lifespan of at least three years. However, there have been reports of cardinals growing as old as 15 years.

• Is there such a thing as a yellow Northern Cardinal?

  Although there is such a thing as a Yellow Cardinal, there can also be a yellow version of the Northern Cardinal. Seeing a cardinal with an orangish-yellow hue has been reported over time. This deviation in coloration is caused by a genetic mutation. This mutation only affects an estimated one in a million birds, so seeing a yellow cardinal is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event.

• Are there any other names for a Northern Cardinal?

  The Northern Cardinals scientific name is Cardinalis cardinalis, but cardinals have carried many nicknames depending on their region, including: Common Cardinal, Cardinal Grosbeak, Red-bird, Cardinal-bird, Cardinal Redbird, Crested Redbird, Top-knot Redbird, Virginia Redbird, and Virginia Nightingale.