Red Robin vs Cardinal: Learn The Differences

From a distance, it can be difficult to distinguish an American robin from a Northern Cardinal. They both have very similar colorings and their song is also quite similar. However, these birds are not related and there are various differences that you should be aware of to identify each bird correctly.

The first most obvious difference is that cardinals have a crest on top of their head and robins do not. However, when the cardinal doesn’t have its crest up, there are other differences that will help you to work out whether you’re looking at a robin or a cardinal.

Let’s investigate these differences in more detail.

Identifying Characteristics Of Robin vs Cardinal

Here’s a quick chart that outlines the major identifying features of both robins and cardinals.

Color Differences

On closer investigation, there are quite a few color differences between robins and cardinals.

• Male cardinals are bright red all over with a red beak and a black face mask. Female cardinals are pale brown but they do have red tinges on their wings, tail and crest.
• Robins have a distinctive burnt-orange breast, a black head, dark gray back and a yellow beak. Females are similar to males, although their colors are generally more muted and they have a paler head.

Size Differences

Robins are a little larger than cardinals and they weigh a little more too. Robins also have a rounder body shape.

Beak Differences

The beak differences in these two birds are quite distinct.

• Cardinals have a short cone-shaped beak that is red in color. This is delightfully highlighted by the black face mask around it.
• Robins have a longer and more pointed beak that is yellow in color. It also points slightly upward.

Wing Differences

Both species of bird have rounded wings. However, the robin has a wider wingspan than the cardinal.

Tail Differences

Both the color and shape of the tail in each species is quite different.

• Cardinals have a long, rounded tail that is red in color. Female cardinals only have a red tinge on their tail.
• Robins have more fan-shaped tails and they are black in color.

Song Differences

Although cardinals and robins can sound very similar, there are a few differences in their song.

• Cardinals have a more melodious song and each chirp is quite short.
• Robins produce much longer chirps that are interspersed with shorter ones.

Behavioral Differences

Robins are far more sociable than cardinals. They like to hang around in flocks especially in winter. On the other other hand, cardinals are much more solitary and can usually only be found in pairs, especially during mating season. Robins are also more industrious than cardinals, who prefer to sit quietly in low shrubs near backyard feeders.

The one thing that these two species do have in common is that they’re both extremely territorial.

Similarities In Habitat Preferences

Both robins and cardinals prefer to inhabit suburban areas near to where humans live. This is because these places offer plenty of good, reliable food sources. These birds can be found in gardens, parks, woodlands and suburban backyards.

In addition, both of these species do not migrate in the winter. Therefore, they can be found in suburban and urban areas all year round.

Nesting Differences

The nesting habits of both cardinals and robins are quite different even though they may sometimes share the same nesting area. Robins will normally lay 5 to 6 eggs at a time. These are quite often sky-blue or blue-green in color with no markings of any kind.

Be aware that robins may also steal a cardinal’s eggs or even a baby bird when there’s a shortage of available food. Plus, they sometimes steal twigs and other nesting materials from other nests in order to build their own.

On the other hand, cardinals only lay around 2 to 5 eggs. These eggs are also quite distinctive with their speckled markings. The range in color from white to pale gray or brown.

When baby robins are born, they’re almost featherless and have a yellow skin that is almost translucent in sunlight. They take around 14 days to reach adult size.

Baby cardinals are also born featherless and they’re blind at birth. However, they do grow rather fast and are able to leave the nest in only 7 to 13 days after hatching. Interestingly, the male cardinal will continue to feed the fledglings even after they’ve left the nest. This gives the female bird the chance to build a new nest and lay another set of eggs.

One things these two species of birds have in common is that they’ll build new nests for each clutch of eggs that the females lay. Both birds can lay around 2 to 3 clutches of eggs per year.

When it comes to nest building, only female robins will build each nest. These nests are often situated in dense bushes or in the fork of a deciduous tree that has regrown its leaves and usually 5 to 15 feet above the ground.

On the other hand, both male and female cardinals share the nest building. However, it’s usually the female that creates the framework by crushing twigs and bending them into shape.

Food Preferences

Both robins and cardinals are omnivores. This means that they both feast on insects, fruits and berries. However, cardinals eat far more seeds than robins do. This is why you’re likely to find cardinals more commonly at backyard feeders than robins.

While robins prefer different insects, all types of berries and small fruits, many cardinals will feast on mainly seeds, grains and small fruits. In fact, if you have a look at the cardinal’s beak, you’ll understand that it’s perfectly designed for cracking seeds and pieces of grain. Both sunflower and safflower seeds are highly favored by cardinals.

Therefore, if you want to attract cardinals to your yard, all you have to do is fill your feeders with plenty of nourishing seeds.

On the other hand, if you want to attract robins, you’re better off planting some berry bushes or fruit trees. Juniper or holly bushes are great for attracting robins as are grapevines and cherry trees. Also, covering your garden beds with thick mulch or leaf litter will encourage these birds to come foraging for earthworms and other insects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are robins related to cardinals?

No, there’s no relationship between robins and cardinals.

Is a robin bigger than a cardinal?

Yes, robins are bigger than cardinals. In fact, they’re larger in size to most other songbirds.

Is there a bird that resembles a robin?

The spotted towhee looks very similar in appearance to the American robin. However, spotted towhees do not have the white facial markings that robins have. Also, spotted towhees have a white breast with reddish-brown sides whereas robins have a complete reddish-orange breast.

Final Thoughts

Although robins and cardinals sound very similar, there are some marked differences in their appearance. Firstly, cardinals have a red crest on top of their heads that makes them quite distinctive.

Male cardinals are also red all over while females are brown but have red tinges on their wings, tail and crest. On the other hand, robins have an orange breast but a dark gray back and a black head. Female robins have a lighter colored head though.

The beaks of both birds are also quite different. While cardinals have a short, cone-shaped beak that is red, robins have a slightly longer, pointed beak that is yellow.

You’re also likely to find cardinals at your backyard feeders feasting on the seeds and grains that you’ve supplied. On the other hand, robins don’t frequent backyard feeders all that often because they prefer to feast on insects, fruits and berries. Therefore, you’ll have to plant some shrubs that bear berries like juniper or holly to attract them to your yard.