Northern Cardinals in Mississippi
When cardinals are present in Mississippi, when they nest, which native Mississippi plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7b–9a yard.
- Status in Mississippi
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–August
- Broods
- 1–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7b–9a
When to expect cardinals in Mississippi
Northern Cardinals live in Mississippi all year. Mild winters with rare hard freezes. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward weed and grass seeds; sumac, hackberry and other persistent winter fruit; sunflower and safflower at feeders.
Humid subtropical, with the Delta in the northwest, piney woods in the south and a short Gulf coastline.
Nesting in Mississippi
Across Mississippi, cardinals typically nest from March–August. Nest site: open cup built by the female in dense shrubs, vine tangles or saplings, usually 1–15 ft up. Females lay 2–5 eggs, incubate for 11–13 days, and young leave the nest after 7–13 days.
Long, hot, humid summers.
- Northern Cardinals don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Mississippi plants that attract cardinals
Of the regional native plants we track for Mississippi, these 8 provide food or cover cardinals use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding cardinals through the Mississippi year
Cardinals feed most actively at dawn and dusk and rarely use small-perch tube feeders. Place feeders within 10–15 ft of dense shrub cover they can retreat to.
- Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Safflower, Hulled sunflower chips, Cracked corn (sparingly).
- In Mississippi's winter: Mild winters with rare hard freezes.
Full diet breakdown for cardinals · Best feeder for cardinals
Frequently asked
Are cardinals in Mississippi year-round?
Yes. Northern Cardinals are year-round residents in Mississippi.
When do cardinals nest in Mississippi?
Nesting in Mississippi typically runs March–August, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract cardinals in Mississippi?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Mississippi that provide food or cover for cardinals.
Northern Cardinals in other regions
Other backyard birds in Mississippi
Sources
- Northern Cardinal — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Cardinal life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Cardinal — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Mississippi
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.