School of Environment & Natural Resources
The Bright Red of Cardinals Means Less in Urban Areas
The brilliant red of a male cardinal tells a female cardinal that he is a high-quality mate, but for cardinals living in urban areas this may not be true. It has been found that the bright red feather coloration of male northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) is less related to body condition for birds living in urban forests than it is for those in rural forests.