I saw this male northern cardinal hopping on the ground at the Clark Botanic Garden in New York. Its bright red body was hard to miss. The northern cardinal, a mid-sized perching songbird, known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal, or just cardinal. The cardinal is named after cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, who wear distinctive red robes and caps. The species expresses sexual dimorphism: Females are a reddish olive color, and have a gray mask around the beak, while males are a vibrant red color, and have a black mask on the face, as well as a larger crest. The plumage color of the males is produced from carotenoid pigments in the diet. The male averages slightly larger than the female. The songs of the two sexes of the northern cardinal are also sexually dimorphic because of the differences in levels of hormones. The northern cardinal is a territorial song bird. The male sings in a loud, clear whistle from the top of a tree or another high location to defend his territory. He will chase off other males entering his territory. He may mistake his image on various reflective surfaces as an invading male and will fight his reflection relentlessly. Pairs generally stay together year-round but are not necessarily monogamous. Cardinals were once prized as pets due to their bright color and distinctive song. In the United States, this species is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which also banned their sale as cage birds. It is also protected by the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds in Canada. The northern cardinal (referred to as just "cardinal") is the state bird of seven U.S. states, more than any other species: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the United States, the northern cardinal is also the mascot of numerous athletic teams.
在紐約的克拉克植物園看到這隻公的北美紅雀在地上跳著，那鮮艷的紅色身驅，很難錯過。北美紅雀，一種中型棲息鳴禽，俗稱紅鳥、主紅雀、紅紅雀或簡稱紅雀。它以羅馬天主教堂的紅衣主教命名，因為主教他們穿著獨特的紅色長袍和帽子。這種鳥是雌雄異型：母鳥是紅橄欖色，喙周圍是灰色，而公鳥呈鮮豔的紅色，臉上是黑色，並有較大的冠。公鳥的羽毛顏色是由飲食中的類胡蘿蔔素色素產生的。公鳥一般略大於母鳥。北美紅雀兩性的歌聲也是雌雄異型由於兩性荷爾蒙的差異所致。北美紅雀是一種有地盤性意識的鳴禽。雄鳥會在樹頂或其他高處發出響亮而清晰的哨聲來保衛自己的領地，它會趕走其他進入它領地的雄鳥。它可能會誤以為自己在各種反光表面上的影像是入侵的男性，並會不懈地與自己的倒影爭鬥。配對的鳥通常全年都在一起，但不一定是一夫一妻制。紅雀因其鮮豔的顏色和獨特的歌聲而一度被視為寵物。在美國它受到 1918 年《候鳥條約法》的保護，這法案還禁止將它作為籠鳥出售。它也受到加拿大《保護候鳥公約》的保護。北美紅雀（簡稱「主紅雀」）是美國七個州的州鳥，比其他物種都多：伊利諾州、印第安納州、肯塔基州、北卡羅來納州、俄亥俄州、維吉尼亞州和西維吉尼亞州。在美國北美紅雀也是許多運動隊伍的吉祥物。
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Notes 筆記
- The northern cardinal, a mid-sized perching songbird, known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal, or just cardinal. The cardinal is named after cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, who wear distinctive red robes and caps. The species expresses sexual dimorphism: Females are a reddish olive color, and have a gray mask around the beak, while males are a vibrant red color, and have a black mask on the face, as well as a larger crest. The plumage color of the males is produced from carotenoid pigments in the diet. The male averages slightly larger than the female. Juvenile cardinals do not have the distinctive red-orange beak seen in adult birds until they are almost fully mature.
- The northern cardinal 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. Its habitat includes woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands.
- The northern cardinal is mainly granivorous, mainly (up to 90%) of weed seeds, grains, and fruits. It also feeds on insects. It is a ground feeder and finds food while hopping on the ground through trees or shrubbery.
- The northern cardinal has a distinctive alarm call, a short metallic chip sound. This call often is given when predators approach the nest, in order to give warning to the female and nestlings. The songs of the two sexes of the northern cardinal, although not distinguishable by the human ear, are sexually dimorphic. It is suggested that this is because of the differences in levels of hormones of the two sexes. Only a few female North American songbirds sing, but the female Northern Cardinal does, and often while sitting on the nest. This may give the male information about when to bring food to the nest.
- The northern cardinal is a territorial song bird. The male sings in a loud, clear whistle from the top of a tree or another high location to defend his territory. He will chase off other males entering his territory. He may mistake his image on various reflective surfaces as an invading male and will fight his reflection relentlessly.
- Pairs generally stay together year-round but are not necessarily monogamous. Mated pairs sometimes sing together before nesting. During courtship they may also participate in a bonding behavior where the male collects food and brings it to the female, feeding her beak-to-beak.
- Cardinals were once prized as pets due to their bright color and distinctive song. In the United States, this species is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which also banned their sale as cage birds. It is also protected by the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds in Canada.
- The northern cardinal (referred to as just "cardinal") is the state bird of seven U.S. states, more than any other species: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the United States, the northern cardinal is also the mascot of numerous athletic teams.
- 北美紅雀，一種中型棲息鳴禽，俗稱紅鳥、主紅雀、紅紅雀或簡稱紅雀。它以羅馬天主教堂的紅衣主教命名，因為主教他們穿著獨特的紅色長袍和帽子。這 種鳥是雌雄異型：母鳥是紅橄欖色，喙周圍是灰色，而公鳥呈鮮豔的紅色，臉上是黑色，並有較大的冠。公鳥的羽毛顏色是由飲食中的類胡蘿蔔素色素產生的。公鳥一般略大於母鳥。幼鳥在幾乎完全成熟之前，都沒有成鳥所見的獨特的紅橙色喙。
- 北美紅雀分佈於加拿大東南部，穿過美國東部，從緬因州到明尼蘇達州到德州、新墨西哥州、亞利桑那州南部、加州南部，以及南部墨西哥、伯利茲和瓜地馬拉。其棲息地包括林地、花園、灌木叢和濕地。
- 北美紅雀主要以穀類食物為主，主要（高達90%）雜草種子、穀物和水果。它也以昆蟲為食。它是接地餵食，即在地面上蹦跳穿過樹木或灌木叢尋找食物。
- 北美紅雀有一種獨特的警報聲，一種很短的金屬聲。當掠食者接近巢穴時，通常會發出這種叫聲，以向雌鳥和雛鳥發出警告。北美紅雀兩性的歌聲雖然無法透過人耳區分，但是雌雄異型。有人認為這是由於兩性荷爾蒙的差異所致。只有少數雌性北美鳴禽會唱歌，但雌性北紅雀會唱歌，而且經常坐在巢上，這可能讓雄性知道何時將食物帶回巢穴。
- 北美紅雀是一種有地盤性意識的鳴禽。雄鳥會在樹頂或其他高處發出響亮而清晰的哨聲來保衛自己的領地，它會趕走其他進入它領地的雄鳥。它可能會誤以為自己在各種反光表面上的影像是入侵的男性，並會不懈地與自己的倒影爭鬥。
- 配對的鳥通常全年都在一起，但不一定是一夫一妻制。成對的伴侶有時會在築巢前一起唱歌。在求愛期間，它們也可能參與一種親密行為，即雄鳥收集食物帶給雌鳥，用嘴對嘴餵她。
- 紅雀因其鮮豔的顏色和獨特的歌聲而一度被視為寵物。在美國它受到 1918 年《候鳥條約法》的保護，這法案還禁止將它作為籠鳥出售。它也受到加拿大《保護候鳥公約》的保護。
- 北美紅雀（簡稱「主紅雀」）是美國七個州的州鳥，比其他物種都多：伊利諾州、印第安納州、肯塔基州、北卡羅來納州、俄亥俄州、維吉尼亞州和西維吉尼亞州。在美國北美紅雀也是許多運動隊伍的吉祥物。
Birds Posts 鳥的帖子
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Northern cardinal
- All about birds: Northern Cardinal