Northern Cardinal
Northern CardinalNorthern CardinalNorthern CardinalNorthern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
Insufficient data
overall probability at Badlands National Park
4 Verified records at Badlands National Park
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), also commonly known as the common cardinal, red cardinal, or simply cardinal, is a bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southeastern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Minnesota to Texas, New Mexico, southern Arizona, southern California and south through Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. It is also an introduced species in a few locations such as Bermuda and all major islands of Hawaii since its introduction in 1929. Its habitat includes woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands. It is the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. The northern cardinal is a mid-sized perching songbird with a body length of 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) and a crest on the top of its head. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Badlands National Park

Blue Grosbeak
LC

Blue Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina caerulea

30–40% · Possible
Dickcissel
LC

Dickcissel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spiza americana

5–10% · With luck
Indigo Bunting
LC

Indigo Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina cyanea

<5% · Rare
Lazuli Bunting
LC

Lazuli Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina amoena

<5% · Rare
Black-headed Grosbeak
LC

Black-headed Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheucticus melanocephalus

<5% · Rare
Western Tanager
LC

Western Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga ludoviciana

Insufficient data
Western Meadowlark
LC

Western Meadowlark

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sturnella neglecta

90–100% · Very likely
Rock Wren
LC Endemic

Rock Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Salpinctes obsoletus

60–70% · Likely
Cliff Swallow
LC

Cliff Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

50–60% · Likely
Red-winged Blackbird
LC

Red-winged Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Agelaius phoeniceus

50–60% · Likely
Barn Swallow
LC

Barn Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo rustica

50–60% · Likely
Horned Lark
LC Endemic

Horned Lark

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eremophila alpestris

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Northern Cardinal at Badlands National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
80–90%
2 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
80–90%
3 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
80–90%
4 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
70–80%
5 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
60–70%
6 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
7 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
8 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
30–40%
9 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
10 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
11 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
12 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
13 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
14 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
15 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
16 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
17 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
18 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
19 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
20 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
21 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
22 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
23 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
24 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
25 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
26 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
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