We see these delightful birds most springs, usually for only two or three days, as they pass through Indiana on their way north. They winter in the Caribbean and Mexico and spend the summer in Canada and the northern USA. While Indiana is shown as being in their summer range, we have never seen them nesting in Madison County. They are named for the splash of red on the male's breast (seen here) and the sturdy bill shared by both sexes.
The female, seen above alone, and below with a female Cardinal, is much duller in color and pattern. However, she shares the same strong bill, designed to crack seeds.
Here we see a male and female together. They often migrate separately, with the males a few days ahead of the females, so it's not common to see them together. They are so different in their coloration that they might be taken for different species.
