My wife and I are snowbirds. While we love the Madison community, we don’t love the Madison winters, so we have taken to spending a few months each winter in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. While there, we have the joy of exploring the many natural areas and sanctuaries the area offers, and are thrilled to see the variety of birds that are so different from those we see in Wisconsin. Of course, some of the bird species are the same too—the Bald Eagles have been as fun to photograph in Hilton Head Island as they are in Madison!
Earlier this month, as we snowbirds and many other types of birds were beginning to think about migrating back north, I ventured out to a local park with my camera to see what I could find. I decided to concentrate on a large group of Northern Cardinals that were flying and chasing each other. As I focused in on their activity, I saw two females land on the ground right in front of me and started to stare each other down. Their intensity was palpable.
Photo by Terri Bleck
And then, they started to RUMBLE!
One threw the other onto the ground and took its crown feathers in its beak. Together they flew up into the air and continued their aggressive behavior flying at each other. They then landed back down on the ground where the rumble began, having a stare down and talking trash to one another…”tst tst tst”.
It was stunning.
Photos below by Terri Bleck
Being a bird enthusiast, I did some research and asked my friends at Madison Audubon if they had heard of this behavior. Apparently Northern Cardinals are notoriously territorial and males will attack their own reflection. Turns out, females are similarly territorial!
I also learned that only a few female North American songbirds sing, and the female Northern Cardinal is one of them, often while sitting on the nest. A mated pair shares song phrases, but the female may sing a long and slightly more complex song than the male.
While I won’t ever know exactly what caused this kerfuffle, I did appreciate the spectacle and the chance to learn more about this species. I hope you do too!
Written and photos by Terri Bleck, Madison Audubon member and Kestrel Legacy Circle member
