Ohio State Bird – Cardinal

State Bird of Ohio – Cardinal 

Bright red Cardinal, Ohio state bird

The Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was designated the official Ohio state bird in 1933 due to its prevalence throughout the state. That was not always the case, however.

Cardinals prefer living in shrubs and thickets along the edges where woodlands meet fields. As forests were cleared for development in the state, the habitat became more suitable for cardinals. Since then, cardinals are commonly seen in Ohio.

Six other states also have the cardinal as their state bird including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Cardinals are vibrant red in males and a more muted color for females. They enjoy a diet mainly of seeds which they can open with their beaks.