In Sept. 2005 we moved into the home we now live in. We live in the 
corporation limits, but a farmers corn field is behind the lot our home 
sits on. The resident male cardinal had a yellow/orange feather in his left 
wing. I thought that this would be a red feather when he went through the 
molt. However it never changed. He is still here visiting my feeders 
everyday. 

Knowing that this individual bird has been around here at least nine years 
had me researching life expectancy for Northern Cardinals. A website gave 
me a 15-20 year life span. It would be interesting to know what percentage 
of birds survive predation and disease to die from old age. 

The severe weather we are now having brings large numbers of Cardinals to 
my feeders. The resident male would not tolerate this during nesting 
season. The question I keep rolling around, is that because they are just 
trying to survive the weather conditions or does the effect of short 
daylight hours on their hormonal system make them defend their territory 
less vigorously?
        
                       Tom Guisinger
                       Lancaster, Oh

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