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Birding/re male cardinal alone

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Expert: - 1/28/2009


Question
Is it common for a male cardinal to be alone?  One has been in the bushes outside for 2 days - whistling: "peer, peer, peer ... tsk, dsk,dsk".  I thought they traveled in pairs or with others.  Thank You! (Orlando, FL)

Answer
In the winter is is very typical for a Cardinal to be alone. When breeding season comes in the spring he will pair up, but not usually in the winter. But you will also see two or three Cardinals together in the winter - usually young ones born the prior year.

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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