Northern Cardinals in Vermont
When cardinals are present in Vermont, when they nest, which native Vermont plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.
- Status in Vermont
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–August
- Broods
- 1–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–5b
When to expect cardinals in Vermont
Northern Cardinals live in Vermont all year. Long, snowy winters. 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 continental, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.
Nesting in Vermont
Across Vermont, cardinals typically nest from May–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.
Short, mild summers.
- Northern Cardinals don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as eastern red cedar, serviceberry, winterberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Vermont plants that attract cardinals
Of the regional native plants we track for Vermont, these 8 provide food or cover cardinals use:
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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
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 Vermont 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 Vermont's winter: Long, snowy winters.
Full diet breakdown for cardinals · Best feeder for cardinals
Frequently asked
Are cardinals in Vermont year-round?
Yes. Northern Cardinals are year-round residents in Vermont.
When do cardinals nest in Vermont?
Nesting in Vermont typically runs May–August, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract cardinals in Vermont?
Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Vermont that provide food or cover for cardinals.
Northern Cardinals in other regions
Other backyard birds in Vermont
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 — Vermont
- 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.