Birdland: Show Stopper

With bright red plumage and a showy crest, the Northern Cardinal is one of North America’s most iconic species. In fact, cardinals are the official birds in seven states. Their range is typically the eastern half of the United States, as well as Mexico and southern Arizona, where this photograph was taken. But in Colorado, the Northern Cardinal is a rare bird indeed. The bird tracking website eBird reports that, as of Nov. 22, exactly 3,172 Northern Cardinals have been spotted in Colorado — most of them on the Eastern Plains.