{"id":132899,"date":"2024-08-22T02:59:37","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T07:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=132899"},"modified":"2024-08-22T03:03:36","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T08:03:36","slug":"molting-young-northern-cardinal-male","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/22\/molting-young-northern-cardinal-male\/","title":{"rendered":"Molting Young Northern Cardinal Male"},"content":{"rendered":"

While I photographed this young Northern Cardinal that is molting, I had to chuckle to myself. I know he looks messy, but he also seems kind of endearing to me.<\/p>\n

\"MoltingMolting young Northern Cardinal male \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/400, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 349mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The messy part is understandable; molting doesn\u2019t look all that pretty, even on the most beautiful birds. The endearing part? Well, that\u2019s purely subjective on my part.<\/p>\n

Besides, I photograph birds even when they aren\u2019t looking their best because I love all birds, even the ones that others might find unattractive.<\/p>\n

For instance, this messy, molting young bird will soon be scarlet red with a gorgeous crest and a dark mask extending from over his bill to his eyes and chin. He will be every bit as striking as his male parent.<\/p>\n

He’ll soon be a handsome red bird with more than two long feathers in his crest.<\/p>\n

\"YoungYoung male Northern Cardinal molting \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/400, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 349mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

You might be wondering how I know that this is a young male and not an adult male that is molting.<\/p>\n

Young Northern Cardinals of both sexes have dark grayish bills. Adult males have reddish bills, while females have more orangish bills.<\/p>\n

As this young male molts, his dark bill is just starting to turn red. I know he is a male because the females of this species don\u2019t have red feathers on their throats or bellies like this bird does.<\/p>\n

Regretfully, I didn’t get to photograph any freshly fledged Northern Cardinals<\/span><\/a> this breeding season, but I am hopeful that next year I will have the opportunity.<\/p>\n

I am extremely grateful that I’ve had the chance to photograph several teen-aged cardinals this summer.<\/p>\n

Grateful indeed.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to see more of my Northern Cardinal photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While I photographed this young Northern Cardinal that is molting, I had to chuckle to myself. I know he looks messy, but he also seems kind of endearing to me. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":132891,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13950,27,10269,13951],"tags":[14199,14197,14200,13931,4067,4062,2312,2313,14198,4104,2315,8018,13966,4193],"class_list":["post-132899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-avian","category-northern-cardinals","category-sebastian-county","tag-cardinal","tag-cardinalis-cardinalis","tag-cardinals","tag-garden","tag-immature","tag-male","tag-molt","tag-molting","tag-northern-cardinal","tag-perched","tag-summer-3","tag-urban","tag-yard","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-cardinal-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-4185.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-yzx","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":114640,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/24\/male-northern-cardinal-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":132899,"position":0},"title":"Male Northern Cardinal Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I don't find cardinals in northern Utah, so I was super excited to take a few male Northern Cardinal photos while I was in Arkansas with my friend Steve Creek.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Northern Cardinal in Arkansas, Sebastian County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/northern-cardinal-male-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/northern-cardinal-male-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/northern-cardinal-male-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/northern-cardinal-male-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-5847.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":134743,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/09\/18\/immature-female-northern-cardinal-in-arkansas\/","url_meta":{"origin":132899,"position":1},"title":"Immature Female Northern Cardinal In Arkansas","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Several weeks ago, I shared images of a young male cardinal. Today, I thought it was about time to put an immature female Northern Cardinal in the spotlight.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature female Northern Cardinal, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/northern-cardinal-immature-female-mia-mcpherson-1154.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/northern-cardinal-immature-female-mia-mcpherson-1154.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/northern-cardinal-immature-female-mia-mcpherson-1154.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/northern-cardinal-immature-female-mia-mcpherson-1154.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":167175,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2026\/01\/19\/male-northern-cardinal-with-breakfast\/","url_meta":{"origin":132899,"position":2},"title":"Male Northern Cardinal With Breakfast","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier this month, I photographed this adult male Northern Cardinal in the yard as he came in to snatch a suet ball for breakfast in front of a River Birch.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult male Northern Cardinal with breakfast, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/northern-cardinal-sequoyah-county-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/northern-cardinal-sequoyah-county-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/northern-cardinal-sequoyah-county-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/northern-cardinal-sequoyah-county-mia-mcpherson-4093.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":138354,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/12\/31\/spring-and-winter-male-northern-cardinal-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":132899,"position":3},"title":"Spring And Winter Male Northern Cardinal Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning, I'm sharing images of a male Northern Cardinal taken in the same oak tree here in Arkansas during different seasons: spring and winter.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Winter adult male Northern Cardinal in an oak tree, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/northern-cardinal-adult-male-winter-mia-mcpherson-0927.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/northern-cardinal-adult-male-winter-mia-mcpherson-0927.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/northern-cardinal-adult-male-winter-mia-mcpherson-0927.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/northern-cardinal-adult-male-winter-mia-mcpherson-0927.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72661,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/13\/messy-molting-song-sparrow\/","url_meta":{"origin":132899,"position":4},"title":"Messy, Molting Song Sparrow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"This Song Sparrow will replace its damaged feathers quickly and will look like it normally does once again. Until then, I still think it is a beautiful, albeit somewhat ruffled, bird.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Song Sparrow in molt, Wasatch Mountains, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/song-sparrow-messy-on-ground-mia-mcpherson-0851.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/song-sparrow-messy-on-ground-mia-mcpherson-0851.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/song-sparrow-messy-on-ground-mia-mcpherson-0851.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/song-sparrow-messy-on-ground-mia-mcpherson-0851.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":127492,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/04\/12\/male-northern-cardinal-photos-from-arkansas\/","url_meta":{"origin":132899,"position":5},"title":"Male Northern Cardinal Photos From Arkansas","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Hello from my friend Steve Creek's amazing bird-filled yard in Arkansas, where I photographed this striking male Northern Cardinal from his deck yesterday.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Cardinal male in Arkansas, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-cardinal-male-in-oak-tree-mia-mcpherson-2273.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-cardinal-male-in-oak-tree-mia-mcpherson-2273.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-cardinal-male-in-oak-tree-mia-mcpherson-2273.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-cardinal-male-in-oak-tree-mia-mcpherson-2273.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}