As you begin Valentine’s Day, listen for the cheery song of the northern cardinal. The crimson-colored male bespeaks sweetheart’s day like no other bird, and its courtship with the female cardinal is ...

The male northern cardinal, which I call the valentine bird because of his rich red color, greets me every morning with a cheery song. He's like a musical Valentine's Day greeting card but one of ...

The male Northern Cardinal is hard to miss. Its vibrant red head and black eye mask stands in stark contrast to winter’s bleary hues, spring’s pastel florals and summer’s bright greens. Once you learn ...

Meteorological winter began Dec. 1; it is close to halfway through. We've gained 21 minutes of daylight as of Friday since the solstice Dec. 21. So it's time to hear the first whistled "what-cheer, ...

Birders and non-birders alike love the Northern Cardinal. The singing of the male cardinal is a sure harbinger of early spring. To many birders, the cardinal has taken the mantle of announcing spring ...

Spring sometimes motivates me to get up at an hour that seems totally unreasonable at any other time of year. And so, when I stepped outside at 5 a.m., I was surprised to be greeted by the ...

Every morning at about 7 since late February, the cardinal has been singing its “Cheer, cheer, cheer” song in my yard. Now the American robin is singing, “Cheerily, cheerio,” adding to the growing ...

New research suggests that populations of the Northern Cardinal --one of the most ubiquitous backyard birds in the United States-- are undergoing speciation in two adjacent deserts. This study, which ...

The state bird of North Carolina sticks out amongst the rest. It's beautiful, has positive associations, and stays around all year. Since their creation, state mottos and symbols have helped to ...

Since their creation, state mottos and symbols have helped to achieve distinction and uniqueness. North Carolina's state motto is "Esse Quam Videri." It's a Latin phrase that roughly translates to "to ...