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Date: | Mon, 6 Jan 2014 11:10:32 -0500 |
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In Sept. 2005 we moved into the home we now live in. We live in the
corporation limits, but a farmers corn field is behind the lot our home
sits on. The resident male cardinal had a yellow/orange feather in his left
wing. I thought that this would be a red feather when he went through the
molt. However it never changed. He is still here visiting my feeders
everyday.
Knowing that this individual bird has been around here at least nine years
had me researching life expectancy for Northern Cardinals. A website gave
me a 15-20 year life span. It would be interesting to know what percentage
of birds survive predation and disease to die from old age.
The severe weather we are now having brings large numbers of Cardinals to
my feeders. The resident male would not tolerate this during nesting
season. The question I keep rolling around, is that because they are just
trying to survive the weather conditions or does the effect of short
daylight hours on their hormonal system make them defend their territory
less vigorously?
Tom Guisinger
Lancaster, Oh
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