For the past 2 weeks, we have had a lone male cardinal roosting above our porch in a used barn swallow nest. He shows up every night and is gone early in the morning. We never see him during the day. Only dusk until dawn in the nest all by himself. This seems unusual. Why is he not nesting with his mate?
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Male Cardinal behavior (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter c5freak
- Start date
wvbirdwatcher
Well-known member
This is quite interesting because I had a male Cardinal around for several weeks without seeing a female Cardinal. Every day, the male was busy attacking his reflection in the rear view mirrors and windows of my neighbors' two vehicles, parked in the driveway that we share. I was wondering why there had been no female around. Then I read that male Cardinals sometimes seek new mates when a new breeding season begins. I cannot find my original reference, but here is a reference about Cardinals in general sometimes seeking new mates:
"Pairs typically produce 2-5 young a year and remain together through the breeding season and the winter, but may seek a new mate the following season."
http://naturalsciences.org/prairie-...ime-is-it-in-nature/archive/northern-cardinal
Late yesterday afternoon, however, just after we had received 15 inches of snow that covered the vehicles, their mirrors, and windows, I saw two Cardinals (they both looked to be male) land on the tree next to our driveway. One flew off, then a few seconds later, a female Cardinal landed on the same tree. After less than a minute, they both flew off. So maybe our male has finally found a mate!
BTW, I have a pair of Carolina Wrens spending cold nights in a swallow nest on my porch.
"Pairs typically produce 2-5 young a year and remain together through the breeding season and the winter, but may seek a new mate the following season."
http://naturalsciences.org/prairie-...ime-is-it-in-nature/archive/northern-cardinal
Late yesterday afternoon, however, just after we had received 15 inches of snow that covered the vehicles, their mirrors, and windows, I saw two Cardinals (they both looked to be male) land on the tree next to our driveway. One flew off, then a few seconds later, a female Cardinal landed on the same tree. After less than a minute, they both flew off. So maybe our male has finally found a mate!
BTW, I have a pair of Carolina Wrens spending cold nights in a swallow nest on my porch.
