A Cardinal on a Dogwood Branch

A flash of red rests among white blossoms: a northern cardinal perches on a flowering dogwood branch in North Carolina. Both the bird and the tree are familiar sights in the state. The northern cardinal is North Carolina’s state bird, and the flowering dogwood is its state flower.

The cardinal’s strong feet grip the branch. A pointed crest rises from its head, and a thick, cone-shaped bill helps it crack seeds. The bright red bird is a male. Female cardinals are mostly pale brown, with touches of red on their wings, tails, and crests. Both males and females sing, and pairs often communicate with clear whistles.

Cardinals stay in North Carolina all year rather than migrating south for winter. They eat seeds and fruits, as well as insects. During nesting season, adult cardinals also bring insects to their young. Thick shrubs and small trees provide places to hide and build nests.

The flowering dogwood offers food and shelter to wildlife, too. In spring, its small flowers form a cluster surrounded by four large white or sometimes pinkish structures. These structures look like petals, but they are actually modified leaves called bracts. Later in the year, the tree produces bright red fruits that birds can eat.

A cardinal on a dogwood branch brings together two parts of North Carolina’s natural world. The tree supplies a perch and, in season, fruit. The bird may carry seeds away after eating fruit, helping plants spread to new places.