Cardinalis cardinalis

While many birds migrate in autumn to warmer climates with abundant food, North Carolina's faithful state bird, the cardinal, sticks around. Even though they're primarily solitary in the summer, these "winter redbirds" form flocks during the winter. The male cardinal may appear aggressive and dominant in early winter, but as mating season nears he begins to court a mate and will entice her with songs and feed her seeds. As males and females pair up, the winter flock disperses and breeding season begins.

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