What is the State Bird of Indiana? (And Why?)

Indiana is the 38th largest and 17th most populous state in the United States. Only the central and northern parts are mostly flat, the south is completely different with a mix of forests and hills. But what is Indiana’s state bird?

Indiana chose the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) as its state bird in 1933. Known for its vibrant crimson plumage, this medium-sized songbird chose Indiana as one of its home states. Northern cardinals prefer a happy medium between woodland and open areas.

Indiana’s state bird, the northern cardinal

Why is the northern cardinal the state bird of Indiana?

States tend to favor birds that are native to the state or choose to permanently migrate to the area. In the case of cardinals, the bird spends all year in Indiana, building nests in bramble bushes or low saplings. This bird provides intrinsic value to humans by eating garden insects and weed seeds. Its beauty and vibrant crimson color doesn’t hurt this bird from being the state bird.

When did the northern cardinal become Indiana’s state bird?

Indiana didn’t name its state bird until 1933, and it’s been a long time since it became a state on December 11, 1816 to designate a state emblem. The Indiana State Legislature passed legislation on March 2, 1933, declaring it the state bird. The state shares the northern cardinal as its state bird with Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

perched northern cardinal

What does Indiana’s state bird look like?

The males of the northern cardinal have vibrant crimson plumage, while the females have reddish-brown plumage. The birds grow a little bigger than the females, but not by much. Otherwise, both sexes of this bird are physically similar to each other. The bird’s chest and upper body are gray, but its belly is white or light gray. Typically, these birds have a black beak with a brown base.

Northern cardinals are 8 to 9 inches long from head to tail and have a wingspan ranging from 10 to 12 inches. These little birds weigh very little — only 1.4 ounces to 1.7 ounces.

A pair of male and female cardinals

How are these birds behaving?

These birds usually thrive in bushes in the wild. In Indiana, their habitat is slightly different. They live in woodland and scrubland, but also make their home in scrubby fields and hedgerow rows. You don’t have to drive out into the country to see them, as they love the city too and frequent city and state parks.

Their lifespan is about 13 to 15 years. During that time, the birds mate with their mates and build nests. The two birds communicate through song. When they have children, the incubation period takes about 11 to 13 days. While the eggs are incubating, the mother bird remains in the nest, and the father bird goes out to forage for food and brings it home. Yes, the Cardinals do takeout for their spouses. After the chicks hatch, the mother bird stays to care for them, while the father bird continues to hunt but increases the amount of food brought back to the nest. This way the kids can eat it too.

When you hear the snitch “purty-purty-purty” or “cheer-cheer-cheer,” you’re hearing the sound of parental cardinals keeping in touch after leaving the den in search of family. Baby birds require a lot of care and protection, as they hatch without full feathers and therefore cannot fly. The mother must also protect herself and all her babies if predators approach the nest. Understandably, the couple loves to bond during such a dangerous time. Humans benefit from their seemingly always cheerful nature.

This also explains why you rarely see females in your yard. Instead, men with bright skin tones were seen “going grocery shopping.” If you see the same cardinal flying back and forth to the den with food, he and his wife have probably had a lot of babies.

northern cardinal in flight

Do Northern Cardinals Form Communities?

The lifestyle of these cardinals is similar to that of mockingbirds in that they form tight-knit marriages and families and are fiercely protective of them. The cardinal will defend his homeland to the death. If it senses a predator, no matter its size, it will fight for its territory, which usually includes its family. You should never approach a cardinal’s den, nor allow your children or pets to do so. Birds will attack you. They also fight for their breeding grounds. If other male cardinals move into breeding territory already occupied, they will fight with their own species.

Sometimes, they see their own reflection in a window or mirrored glass, and they attack it. These birds recognize others of their own kind and can recognize animals as well as humans. Far from being “bird brains,” a phrase that means goofy, though brains are tiny, they’re remarkably small. However, they don’t know that the glass will reflect their shadow. The bird, thinking it was another cardinal, seemed to attack the glass, but was actually wrestling with itself.

Male northern cardinal on a backyard bird feeder

What Do Northern Cardinals Eat?

Northern cardinals love to eat, and they have the most diverse diet of any bird. Like many other birds, they are omnivorous, but the birds that settled in Indiana had a different diet than those in nearby Ohio and as far away as North Carolina. A steady stream of insects makes up 30 percent of the diet of Indiana residents, and another 70 percent consists of weed seeds, fruits and grains. They love fruit, especially berries and raisins.

You can help them by placing a high-hanging bird feeder in your yard filled with fruits, grains, vegetables, and seeds. If you want to get your yard cardinal excited, you can also offer other popular treats, including safflower seeds, peanut chips, crushed corn, and fresh berries.