The first time I saw a northern cardinal in the wild, I was thrilled to finally see this gorgeous

and iconic red bird in the flesh.

Until then, I had seen only photos and Christmas card illustrations of cardinals.

That's because I grew up on the west coast of the U.S., far outside the natural range of this species.

It was in North Carolina that I saw my first Cardinal.

A friend and I were attending a scientific conference there, and we snuck away to do a little birding on the side.

My friend was a far more experienced and serious birder than I was at the time.

So there I am, all excited to see my first Northern Cardinal, when my friend almost ruins the moment

by dismissing it as a trash bird. Buzzkill much?

Trash bird is birder lingo for a species so frequently encountered in the local area,

one so common that it's uninteresting and pretty much worthless. It's trash. That was the first time I heard the term. I was shocked,

shocked and appalled. I mean, aren't birders supposed to be people who love nature and appreciate birds?

How could anyone think of the amazing Northern Cardinal as trash? Well, here I am 20 years later.

I, too, am what some might call a serious birder now. But I still don't like the term

trash bird. I'm not into it. And even though I've seen a bunch of Northern Cardinals over the years, I still love them.

Today, we're going to chat about the natural history of this charming red bird.

Hopefully, you won't need much convincing that the Northern Cardinal is anything but worthless.

Hello. is anything but worthless. Hello and welcome.

This is the Science of Birds.

I am your host, Ivan Philipson.

The Science of Birds podcast is a lighthearted, guided exploration of bird biology for lifelong learners.

This is episode 51.

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