Looking to feed and attract a few cardinals to your backyard this spring?
There’s certainly something truly special about spotting a few bright red cardinals perched in your backyard or garden. But cardinals aren’t just a joy to watch – they can also play an important role in helping your garden stay healthy.
Cardinals feed on a wide range of insects that can be harmful to your flowers, vegetable plants, and shrubs. And by attracting cardinals to your yard, you’re not only adding beauty and sound to your outdoor space, but also bringing in natural pest control.
So with all the goodness and color they can bring, how you do get more cardinals to call your backyard their home? As it turns out, encouraging cardinals to visit and stay comes down to two main things – providing a steady food source and creating a space where they feel safe and comfortable.
The good news? With a little planning and the right setup, it’s easy to make your landscape a welcoming home for cardinals in the spring – and – all year round as well!
How To Feed & Attract Cardinals In The Spring
Why Cardinals Are Good For Gardens
Cardinals are year-round residents in many parts of the country, but they become especially active in the spring as they search for mates, build nests, and raise their young. During this time, they’re also on the lookout for food – not just for themselves, but for their baby birds too.
While adult cardinals eat mostly seeds and berries, they rely on insects to feed their young. That’s good news for gardeners in the spring – right when many garden pests come alive!
Cardinals consume a wide variety of common garden pests – including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, stink bugs, aphids, cutworms, and even leafhoppers. These are the same insects that often chew through leaves, attack vegetable crops, or suck the life from tender new growth. Cardinals can help greatly in keeping the populations of these pests in check, reducing the need for chemical sprays or treatments.
Because they tend to stay close to the areas where they find food, feeding them is a vital part of getting them to visit and stay. The fact is, cardinals will continue to return to your yard if you make it a reliable place to feed. And the more time they spend around your garden beds and flower borders, the more insects they’ll help remove – naturally and safely.
Using Feeders To Feed & Attract Cardinals In The Spring
One of the best and easiest ways to draw cardinals to your property is by offering food through bird feeders. But it’s important to choose the right kind of feeder if you want to attract them successfully.
Unlike smaller birds such as finches or chickadees, cardinals are medium-sized birds with a thicker build. They prefer to feed while standing on a stable, flat surface rather than clinging to small perches or hanging upside down. Which is exactly why tray feeders work especially well for cardinals.
Tray feeders are open, flat feeders that provide plenty of space for cardinals to land and feed comfortably. They can be mounted on poles, placed on deck railings, or even set just a few feet above the ground. In fact, many cardinals prefer feeders that are a little lower in height, especially if nearby trees or shrubs provide some cover.
Look for feeders labeled as “cardinal-friendly” or designed with larger perching areas. These will have bigger, more sturdier ledges where they can sit and feed. Always avoid narrow tube feeders or suet cages, which aren’t as suitable for cardinals. Affiliate Link: Cedar Wood Platform Tray Bird Feeder 10” – Hanging Bird Feeder for Outside
It’s also important to consider the location of your feeder. Cardinals like to feel safe while feeding. They tend to avoid wide open areas where they might feel exposed to predators like hawks or cats. Place your feeder near shrubs, hedges, or small trees where cardinals can fly to safety if startled. This also helps them feel more at ease and more likely to return.
The Best Foods To Feed Cardinals In Spring
When it comes to food, cardinals can be a little picky. But once you know what they like, it’s easy to keep them coming back for more. Their favorite foods are high in fat and protein, especially in spring when they’re nesting and feeding their young. Here are some of the top foods to include in your feeders:
Black oil sunflower seeds are by far the most popular and effective food to attract cardinals. They have thin shells that are easy to crack and rich in energy. They are the perfect seed for a cardinals’ strong beak to crack open and eat.
Cardinals will almost always visit regularly if you keep a steady supply of black oil sunflower seeds in your tray feeders. Affiliate Link: CountryMax Backyard Seeds Black Oil Sunflower Seeds for Wild Birds
Safflower seeds are another great choice. Cardinals enjoy them, but they’re less appealing to some of the more aggressive birds like starlings. If you’re having trouble with other birds crowding your feeders, try switching to safflower to give cardinals a better chance to feed in peace.
Peanuts are also great for placing in a tray feeder. Cardinals will snack on chopped or crushed peanuts, especially during the breeding season when they need extra protein.
Mealworms, either live or dried, are another great high-protein food source. These are especially useful in early spring when natural insects might still be scarce. Putting a small dish of mealworms near your cardinal feeder can help support nesting pairs that are feeding hungry chicks.
Creating A Safe & Comfortable Space For Cardinals
For best results, keep your feeder clean and well-stocked. Rinse it out regularly to prevent mold or spoiled seed, and make sure old seed doesn’t build up in the bottom. Cardinals will avoid feeders that look dirty or have soggy food.
Another great hint is to try to refill feeders at the same time each day. Cardinals really are creatures of habit and will return like clockwork once they know food is available.
Give Cardinals A Little Protection
Feeders and food are a great start, but cardinals also need shelter and protection. In spring, they’re especially focused on nesting and raising young. By giving them a safe place to live, you can increase the chances that they’ll settle into your yard and stick around for the entire season.
Cardinals prefer dense shrubs, evergreen trees, or thick hedges for nesting. They build their nests low to the ground, usually between three and ten feet up. But they like to stay hidden among branches or vines. If your landscape already has some natural cover, that’s great. If not, consider planting a few bird-friendly shrubs or evergreens to help provide shelter.
Some good plant options for nesting cover include boxwood, holly, juniper, arborvitae, dogwood, viburnum, and even climbing vines like clematis. Cardinals don’t use birdhouses, so natural nesting sites are important.
Last but not least, don’t forget the water! Adding a shallow birdbath or small fountain can be a big plus for cardinals. They need a steady supply of water for both drinking and bathing, and they’ll visit more often if clean water is nearby.
Here is to taking a little extra time to feed and attract more cardinals this spring to your landscape – and helping your garden and flowerbeds in the process! For more on feeding birds, check out- 6 Plants Hummingbirds Love – How To Attract Hummingbirds With Ease! Happy Gardening – Jim & Mary.
Old World Garden Farms
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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