Today (January 26) in our search area of the St Thomas CBC we saw a
Northern Cardinal that was as bright orange as a male Baltimore
Oriole. We have seen a couple of orange variant Scarlet Tanagers and
male "Orange"-breasted Grosbeaks in 40 years of birding but no Orange
Cardinals until today.
The "orange variant" of the Northern Cardinal is not unheard of, but
apparently quite rare. A Google search with the phrase "orange
variant Northern Cardinal" turned up ~6000 references [mostly
duplicates] including a published reference in NA Bird Bander to an
orange variant cardinal caught at banding station in the US. Also of
interest was a journal that had a photo of a "yellow variant"
cardinal. Apparently, cardinals use 4 "different" red carotenoids
that combined produce the bright red. Another article describes a
dietary experiment on goldfinches and cardinals that cause
goldfinches to "redden" and cardinals to "yellow".
This Northern Orange [aka Northern Cardinal] was found in the
vicinity of Springwater Conservation Area which is about 10 km
southwest of Aylmer in central Elgin County.
From the intersection of Springwater Line and Southdale Line at
Springwater CA drive west on Southdale Line about 1 km to Hobson
Line. Just past the intersection Southdale descends a steep hill into
the Catfish Creek floodplain, so park at the top or drive to the
bottom to park along the side of the road. About 1/2 way down the
hill there is a deep ravine on the north side. The bird was with a
flock of cardinals in this ravine when first seen but flew across the
road into a brushy lowland. The house at the top of the hill about 50
metres to the east has good feeders. It looks like the cardinals
come into the feeders via this ravine. It shouldn't be too hard to
get a look at or photo of this bird as it moves to and from those
feeders if you have some patience.
Dave Martin, Linda Wladarski, Ross Snider
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected]
For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit
http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php
ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at
http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
