Northern Cardinal
Northern CardinalNorthern CardinalNorthern CardinalNorthern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Big Bend National Park
2,097 Verified records at Big Bend National Park
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Cardinal sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 2,097 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park

Pyrrhuloxia
LC

Pyrrhuloxia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardinalis sinuatus

50–60% · Likely
Summer Tanager
LC

Summer Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga rubra

20–30% · Possible
Blue Grosbeak
LC

Blue Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina caerulea

20–30% · Possible
Black-headed Grosbeak
LC

Black-headed Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheucticus melanocephalus

20–30% · Possible
Painted Bunting
LC

Painted Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina ciris

10–20% · With luck
Western Tanager
LC

Western Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga ludoviciana

10–20% · With luck
Varied Bunting
LC

Varied Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina versicolor

10–20% · With luck
Hepatic Tanager
LC

Hepatic Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga flava

5–10% · With luck
Lazuli Bunting
LC

Lazuli Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina amoena

<5% · Rare
Indigo Bunting
LC

Indigo Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina cyanea

<5% · Rare
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
LC

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheucticus ludovicianus

<5% · Rare
Dickcissel
LC

Dickcissel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spiza americana

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
50–60
Feb
50–60
Mar
50–60
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
30–40
Jul
20–30
Aug
30–40
Sep
30–40
Oct
40–50
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ 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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Northern Cardinal in Big Bend National Park?

About 47% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Cardinal sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 2,097 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Northern Cardinal in Big Bend National Park?

March has the highest sighting rate for Northern Cardinal in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.

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