Imagine
you are in a blustery, white, clearing, the sun glaring balefully down on you
and the surrounding snow reflecting the intensity of the harsh light into your
squinching eyes.
You wonder
what life could possibly exist in such a cold, dreary and disheartening place as you trudge through the
knee deep hardened snow. You
continue to glance about, shading your straining eyes from the bright light
with a hand, when what to your wandering eyes should appear...a dart of red bobbing
across your path, a Northern Cardinal!
In some
Native American cultures, the sighting of a Cardinal is considered a good
omen. The Cardinal is a symbol of
relationships, courtships, and faithfulness to one’s partner. For a Cardinal to cross your path may
be a sign that a romantic relationship is going to start soon or the renewing
of an already existing relationship.
This
traditional belief lends from the Cardinal’s monogamy and courtship behaviors
in the wild. A male Cardinal will
mainly seek out a single female and attract her attention with his bright,
vibrant, red plumage. He will sing
to her with a musical whistle-like call, “cheer cheer cheer” and bond to his
prospective mate with courtship feeding.
The
male cardinal shares seed with the female in order to bond with his prospective
mate.
Cardinals
are dedicated to protecting their mates and territories from other
Cardinals with incredible ferocity. It is not unheard of to see a male
cardinal try to fight off his own reflection in windows or mirrors! (I’ve often seen male cardinals perch
on my work truck raising a fuss, simply because the truck was the same bright
red as the bird himself!)
One Choctaw
tale tells us how a Cardinal plays the role of matchmaker during his vast
travels. Cardinal finds a
lonely and virtuous maiden. Later,
he also encounters a lonely Indian warrior. Befriending the Indian brave, the Cardinal lures the warrior
to the home of the maiden. Uniting
the pair, they find, at last, friendship and a lasting relationship.
So, if you
ever find yourself outside and alone, and you hear a Cardinal singing his song
of ‘cheer’, just image that he is singing it to you, his beloved.
The next time you visit
the World Bird Sanctuary find time to rest on one of the benches near the
feeders. Chances are very good you
may spot one of these beautiful birds.
Submitted by Jessica
Bunke, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist/Trainer
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