What diet is critical for growing young Northern Cardinal nestlings?
Answer
A diet almost entirely focused on protein from insects and worms.
The need for insects intensifies dramatically during the breeding season because rapidly developing chicks require massive amounts of protein for rapid growth and feather formation. Adult cardinals pivot their foraging efforts almost exclusively towards sourcing small insects, spiders, and worms to meet this intense, short-term nutritional requirement. Adult birds work tirelessly to supply hundreds of insects daily to a single brood during their peak feeding period.
#Videos
Cardinal and Oriole Feeding on Mealworms - YouTube
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