All posts in Cardinal Feeding & Diet

Cardinals are seed specialists with two clear favorites — black oil sunflower and safflower — but their full diet is broader than the feeder suggests, including a significant amount of insects and fruit, especially during breeding season. Getting the food right is most of the…

The single most important thing about a cardinal feeder is that it gives a larger bird a stable place to perch and face its food. Cardinals largely avoid the narrow perches of small tube feeders, so the choice comes down to platform, tray, and hopper…

Choosing seed for cardinals is refreshingly simple: two seeds do almost all the work, and most of the mistakes come from buying cheap blends padded with filler. Black oil sunflower and safflower are the cardinal staples, and understanding when to use each — and what…