Cardinals are widespread. You can spot their trademark bright red plumage in all sorts of settings throughout North America—from forests to grasslands to suburban backyards.
In fact, Northern Cardinals are the perfect “gateway bird.” They’re common, beautiful, and easily recognized. Thanks to this trait trifecta, cardinals are among the first species scribbled on many new birdwatchers’ lists.
Note: there are three types of cardinals within the Cardinalidae family. While this article primarily discusses the Northern Cardinal, you can learn more about Vermillion Cardinals and Pyrrhuloxia (Desert Cardinals) here.
While you’ve seen them snacking at the feeder in the morning, have you ever seen a cardinal sleeping?
Let’s explore the private lives of cardinals. Below, we’ll discuss:
- Where do cardinals sleep at night?
- How do cardinals decide where to sleep?
- When do cardinals go to sleep?
Where Do Cardinals Nest at Night?
Firstly, nesting and sleeping are not one and the same. “Nesting birds” refers to species that build nests (some don’t), or more specifically to such birds during their nesting time of year.
Most birds don’t occupy nests year-round, and most sleeping occurs outside of a nest.
Nesting season involves mating, egg-laying, and raising young. Once the young have fledged and left the nest, the parents leave it behind as well. A used nest is full of droppings, attracts predators and parasites, and is simply no longer needed.
For cardinals, the nesting season occurs between March and September.
Favorite nesting spots include tree branches and dense shrubbery. The nest is typically between 3-15 feet above ground and well-concealed by vegetation.
What Does a Cardinal Nest Look Like?
Although they love backyard habitats, cardinals don’t nest in birdhouses. Their nests are tight, cup-shaped, and blended into vegetation—birdhouses don’t sufficiently replicate these attributes.
A typical nest is sized as follows.
| Northern Cardinal Nest Size | |
| Height | 2-3 inches |
| Length | 4 inches |
| Interior Diameter | 3 inches |
If you want to observe nest-making activity, look to the females. They’re the builders.
However, male cardinals are terrific husbands and fathers. You can spot males around the nest feeding the young, feeding the female (“courtship feeding”), protecting the family from threats, and singing.
A cardinal nest may look cozy, but it’s more like a short-term nursery than a permanent master bedroom. So, where do cardinals flutter off to when it’s time to catch some shuteye?
How Do Cardinals Choose a Spot for Sleeping?
When a bird picks a spot to rest or sleep, that’s called roosting.
Unlike a nest, a roost is not constructed. It’s simply a favorable location where a bird chooses to spend some quiet time.
For cardinals, roosts are usually up high in trees or among dense shrubbery.
Let’s explore the factors that provide suitable sleeping quarters for cardinals.
Safety
Sleep is a vulnerable state. To stay safe in dreamland, birds favor sleep spots that are out of sight.
These two factors contribute most to a sense of safety:
- Elevation
- Coverage
A safe spot, typically among the branches of trees, is concealed by vegetation and can’t be easily reached by ground-level predators.
Warmth
The range of Northern Cardinals includes chilly northern lands like Maine, Canada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Cardinals don’t migrate.
So, winters can be challenging.
Many birds, including cardinals, shiver to keep warm. This motion involves muscle contractions that generate heat and raise the metabolic rate. In extreme conditions, cardinals can also allow their body temperature to drop by several degrees.
As for a warm and cozy place to catch some sleep, cardinals don’t ask for much. They might occasionally take refuge in a tree cavity or other enclosed space. Usually, they prefer not to be closed in.
Winter roosting typically involves nestling in among dense trees or shrubs. The branches and leaves provide adequate defense against wind and precipitation.
Good View
For any songbird, security is a top priority. Small birds are vulnerable to threats from below, like cats and other mammals, as well as terrors from above, like hawks.
A good viewing angle is critical to a cardinal’s safety. So, they prefer to be elevated and not boxed in. From tree branches, it’s possible to look around to all sides—and to quickly take flight in any direction when a threat is detected.
Peace of Mind
Safety, warmth, and a 360-viewing angle allow for peace of mind and the chance at some high-quality sleep.
Of course, one may expect some difficulty dozing off while perched on a branch—without falling off. How do cardinals sleep without paying attention to their balance and grip?
The answer is anatomical. Cardinals and other perching birds belong to the order Passeriformes. To cope with a life of constantly clutching tree branches, passerines have a special rear leg flexor tendon.
When a perching bird such as a cardinal squats on a perch, the tendon automatically tightens to form a secure grip.
A perching bird’s leg squeeze requires no conscious thought and no muscle movement. So, passerines can doze off without risking a sudden drop to the ground.
Do Cardinals Always Sleep in the Same Spot?
Cardinals don’t migrate, but they aren’t homebodies, either. Both nests and roosts come and go in the life of a cardinal.
Each nest is used for one breeding season, then left behind.
Roosts are even less permanent, since a roost is merely a place, rather than a constructed abode. Roosting preferences change with the weather, with more shelter being sought when it’s cold or wet.
Songbirds usually sleep in the same general area where they spend their days. However, the precise locations vary.
It wouldn’t make sense to “commit” to a roost, because staying in one place isn’t conducive to safety. Predictable prey is easy prey.
Like most small animals, cardinals quickly dart away when danger is sensed. So, roosting spots come and go throughout the course of a night.
When Do Cardinals Go To Sleep?
Cardinals are diurnal. That means they’re more active during the daytime and less active at night.
Known for being one of the first species to visit a feeder each morning, cardinals are early risers. Dawn is the most active part of the day. On-and-off activity follows throughout the afternoon.
Shortly after sunset, it’s bedtime.
Birds are generally considered to require around 10-12 hours of sleep per night. Sleep duration changes with the seasons, as days grow shorter and longer. So, with lots of variation based on the time of year and environmental factors, cardinals sleep roughly between 7 pm and 5 am.
What Do Cardinals Do At Night?
Like humans, birds experience both rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep cycles. However, avian sleep cycles are much shorter. Non-REM sleep cycles for birds lasts for around 2.5 minutes, while REM sleep cycles last just nine seconds.
Furthermore, birds only let half of their brain experience sleep at a time. This is called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep.
Vulnerable songbirds can never let their guard down. So, always being partially awake is an amazing safety adaptation. By never fully shutting down, a bird is always tuned in to the dangers that lurk in the night.
Overall, the entire night is devoted to sleeping. However, for cardinals and their fellow songbirds, it’s a light sleep, easily interrupted by a hint of danger.
Compared to other birds, cardinals are sometimes said to “not seem to need much sleep” because they’re such prolific early risers. Chances are, they sleep just as much as other songbirds and simply have a penchant for early mornings.
When Do Cardinals Typically Look for a Spot to Sleep?
As the sun sets, a songbird’s day is winding down. The sky darkens and the evening’s roosting begins. This isn’t always a solitary process—two or more cardinals might seek each other out before settling down for sleep.
In nesting season, mated pairs are territorial and mostly stick to themselves. Couples share lots of activities: singing, eating, raising the young, and sometimes sleeping together.
Throughout winter, cardinals are more social outside of their mated pairs. Small flocks form, consisting of a few pairs up to a few dozen individuals.
Do Cardinals Sleep in their Nest?
Nests serve an important purpose—providing a safe place to incubate eggs and raise young. Then, the nest is no longer needed.
For cardinals, nests are used just once. Each breeding cycle involves a new nest.
The nesting timeline goes like this:
- Nest building: 3-9 days
- Egg incubation period: 11-13 days
- Nestling period (time between hatching and fledging): 7-13 days
The non-nesting season covers winter and parts of spring and fall. During this time, there’s no nest in the picture.
During egg incubation, some sleeping may occur in the nest. However, a nest is not really a “home.” Nor is it a bed. The vast majority of roosting occurs outside of a nest on the branches of trees and shrubs.
Observing the Daily Lives of Cardinals
Cardinals are lovely and charming little creatures. They’re among the most well-liked backyard birds.
The Northern Cardinal is also the state bird of seven states, more than any other bird, including:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Virginia
- West Virginia
From the list above, it’s easy to get a feel for the huge portion of the US where cardinals are a common and appreciated sight.
If you’re like many birders, cardinals are one of your favorite species. You’ve seem them at the feeder and in the trees and you’ve heard them singing. But you’ve never seen them sleeping!
It’s always best to let sleeping birds lie. Still, it’s nice to learn more about the daily lives of the wildlife that we observe.
Understanding where and when cardinals sleep can enrich your appreciation of this special backyard visitor.
Plus, much of what’s described above can be generalized to many songbird species. Other neighborhood birds like blue jays, robins, and sparrows share fairly similar habits regarding nesting, roosting, and daily life.
James has always been an avid outdoorsman. Since a kid, he kept a journal of all the different birds and species he saw. Now he wants to share his passion with other birders with Happy Birding!
