The cardinal is a familiar backyard bird in many parts of the United States, easily recognizable by its bright red plumage. However, its range is limited primarily to the eastern and central regions of the country. So an interesting question arises: are there cardinals in the Pacific Northwest?
Quick Facts on Cardinals
What is a Cardinal?
The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a mid-sized songbird, measuring 8.3–9.1 inches (21–23 cm) in length with a wingspan of 9.8–12.2 inches (25–31 cm). The adult male is unmistakable with its vivid red plumage, black face mask, and conspicuous crest. Females are tan to olive-brown overall with reddish accents in the wings, tail, and crest.
Where are Cardinals Found in the U.S.?
Cardinals are resident birds across eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf states, and west to the Great Plains. Their range just reaches the Pacific states of California, Oregon, and Washington along the southern borders.
What is the Cardinal’s Habitat?
Cardinals occupy open woodland, thickets, suburban gardens, and parks. They avoid dense forest but may be found along forest edges. Cardinals have adapted well to human development and are common in residential areas with sufficient cover and food sources.
What Does the Cardinal Eat?
Cardinals are omnivorous, eating insects, spiders, snails, seeds, berries, and fruit. They forage on the ground and in shrubs and trees. Cardinals will also visit bird feeders for sunflower seeds, safflower, cracked corn, and mealworms.
Cardinal Fun Facts
- The cardinal is the state bird of 7 U.S. states, more than any other species.
- Bright red cardinals stand out against winter snow, unlike females with their muted plumage.
- Males are fiercely territorial and will attack their reflection thinking it’s a rival.
- Cardinal pairs mate for life, staying together throughout the year.
Range and Population in the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest region consists of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Cardinals are uncommon to rare permanent residents in a small portion of southwestern Oregon and southcentral Washington.
Vagrant sightings of cardinals occasionally occur outside the expected range, as individuals wander north and west during the non-breeding season. But there is no evidence of an expanding population or range in the Pacific Northwest.
The table below summarizes the status of the Northern Cardinal in the 3 Pacific Northwest states:
| State | Range and Abundance |
|---|---|
| Oregon | Uncommon permanent resident along the southwestern border with California. Rare east of the Cascades. Vagrant sightings elsewhere. |
| Washington | Rare permanent resident in the southcentral region. Very rare west of the Cascades. Vagrant sightings elsewhere. |
| Idaho | No breeding population. Rare vagrant during winter. |
Exact population sizes are unknown, but cardinals are considered uncommon to rare across their limited Pacific Northwest range. The species has not expanded its foothold despite the prevalence of backyard bird feeding providing artificial food sources.
Habitat Limitations in the Northwest
The restricted range of cardinals in the Pacific Northwest can be attributed to habitat limitations and the region’s colder, wetter climate.
Forest Composition
Cardinals prefer habitats with dense understory vegetation interspersed with open areas. However, the Pacific Northwest is heavily forested with dense stands of conifers. This habitat lacks the forest gaps and extensive edge habitats favored by cardinals.
Climate Conditions
The mild, drier climates of the cardinal’s main range are more suitable than the Pacific Northwest’s colder, wetter weather. Deep snow can restrict winter food sources in the north. Cardinals also prefer to nest in thick, thorny vegetation for protection. The regional vegetation lacks these suitable nest sites.
Food Availability
The types of fruit and seed-bearing plants cardinals feed on may be less abundant in the Northwest. And insect prey may be diminished in the colder climate. Backyard bird feeding does provide supplemental food, but natural food limitations still restrict the population.
Competition from Other Species
Other bird species like jays, woodpeckers, and nuthatches compete with cardinals for food and nesting sites. These species are better adapted to thrive in the Northwest’s habitats than cardinal. This competitive pressure restricts the cardinal’s foothold in the region.
Sightings of Cardinals in the Northwest
While cardinals do not breed extensively in the Northwest, sightings are occasionally reported outside the expected range. These records likely involve vagrant individuals or small groups wandering beyond their regular range in winter.
Here are some noteworthy sightings of cardinals in the Pacific Northwest region:
- In January 2022, an individual cardinal spent several weeks at a residential feeding station near Eugene, Oregon, about 125 miles northwest of the edge of the range.
- Christmas Bird Counts conducted in December 2021 recorded cardinal sightings in several new county locations in Oregon and Washington.
- A bright male cardinal frequented a backyard in Bremerton, Washington for two weeks in November 2020, about 40 miles northwest of the core range.
- A female or juvenile cardinal spent the 2019-2020 winter visiting several feeders around Corvallis, Oregon, over 100 miles beyond the range.
- Individual cardinals are spotted every few years in the Portland, Oregon metro area. But these remain isolated vagrant reports.
These scattered sightings likely involve birds dispersing from core populations further south, possibly wandering north in search of food in winter. Without a mate, these cardinal vagrants are unlikely to remain in or colonize new areas of the Northwest. But their occasional presence is a treat for lucky birdwatchers outside the typical range!
Could Cardinals Expand Their Range?
Several factors suggest cardinals are unlikely to significantly expand their range and populations in the Pacific Northwest in the near future:
- Ingrained habitat limitations and climatic constraints remain in place.
- Competitive pressures from other bird species adapted to the Northwest’s ecology.
- Lack of cardinals observed breeding outside the current range, which would be needed for range expansion.
- Isolated vagrant sightings remain rare and irregular, not indicative of an invasive spread.
However, a few possibilities could potentially facilitate some small growth in the cardinal’s Pacific Northwest foothold:
- Climate change may render localized areas more hospitable.
- Increased backyard bird feeding provides artificial food sources.
- Suburban sprawl and landscaping creates small pockets of suitable habitat.
- Milder winter conditions may aid overwinter survival at the range edge.
But in general, the Northern Cardinal remains limited as a breeder in the Pacific Northwest and substantial range expansion is unlikely based on the ecology of the region. Yet birdwatchers can continue to enjoy the occasional vagrant individuals that brighten backyards beyond the cardinal’s regular range.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Northern Cardinal has a limited range in the Pacific Northwest confined to small parts of southwestern Oregon and southcentral Washington. Sightings outside this expected range represent vagrant birds, not evidence of an expanding population. Habitat limitations and climatic factors restrict the cardinal’s foothold in the region.
While backyard bird feeding provides artificial food sources, cardinals are unlikely to significantly expand their range and populations in the Northwest due to ingrained ecological constraints. Yet bird enthusiasts can look forward to the rare, delightful sightings of these red birds outside their typical range. With their small populations, seeing a cardinal in the Northwest remains a unique treat for observers.
