A few weeks ago, we had a visitor on our back patio...the visitor kept knocking on the sliding glass door but when we would get back there, no one would be around. This happened all morning until our visitor found a seat in our bonsai tree.
He is a handsome fella, isn't he?
A very vibrant red...which we learned matched his "anger" over the next two days.
You see, cardinals have some major spunk and ours was no exception. He spent two days defending "his" territory (uh - my backyard, Mr. Cardinal) against well...himself. BOL
It seems he did not like the "ghost cardinal" (his reflection in the sliding glass door) being in his territory and he pecked at it, flashed his tail feathers at it and basically flew around attacking the sliding glass door like a crazy bird.
See for yourself:
Since he stuck around for TWO whole days - got here in the early AM and did NOT leave until well into evening - Ma and I thought:
Is the cardinal trying to tell us something? Is he some sort of omen?
I noticed that some other pals had seen cardinals recently too, so we did a little research and...well, let's just say that Sweet William the Scot saw one and when we told him one of the symbolic meanings he was none-too-pleased and called me a "soothsayer". (I guess my timing can be impeccable.)
So, here is what we found out...in no particular order...take whichever symbolic meaning you prefer and leave the rest for someone else. BOL
1. A big part of the cardinal's symbolism comes from the male's brilliant red color. The red against a backdrop of winter snow reminds us that warmth, passion and vibrancy are available to us.
2. The cardinal can remind us to carry ourselves with pride. He asks us to stand taller, be a bit more regal and step into our natural confidence and lead with grace and nobility.
3. The red of the cardinal is a symbol for us to recognize the gifts of love and friendship that we have in our hearts to give to others.
4. Yoga practitioners believe the cardinal represents blood - the life force - which is related to survival, identity, health and security.
5. The cardinal's red color represents the blood of Christ shed for the redemption of mankind in the Christian religion. (Here is where Ma and I looked at each other with that "Huh?" look in our eyes...since our crazy cardinal was hanging around during Lent.)
6. (This is the one Sweet William called me out on - BOL) The cardinal is a harbinger of faith, reminding us to "keep the faith" through troublesome or trying times.
7. The cardinal symbolizes vitality - a balance of intuition, perseverance and strength, the cardinal offers safe passage into the realm of personal power to realize one's goals and dreams.
8. Those who attract the cardinal as their totem are naturally energetic, love life and happily help others where and when they can.
9. There is also something about the number 12 - cardinal eggs hatch in 12 days, the cardinal is a year-round (12 month) bird - and the number 12 indicates a turn of events in one's life.
Have you seen a cardinal recently?
For the most part, the cardinal's symbolic meanings are quite positive. Now if only I could figure out which one(s) apply to me and my crazy cardinal.
Happy Wednesday!
We've had a few cardinals in our yard the past few weeks... it might have something to do with the squirrel food we have out.
ReplyDeleteThat could be! We don't have a feeder and I don't think ours was interested in food. BOL
DeleteGizmo was sorry he missed your cardinal's antics. I hope he's found a less violent place to perch now. Cardinals are a favorite here and there's usually a few each year that visit the yard regularly.
ReplyDeleteTwo days of his craziness. We were sorry he didn't show up again. He was entertaining.
DeleteThat was an interesting post for sure. We have a lot of cardinals around here but ours are VERY shy and stay hidden in the trees
ReplyDeleteShy cardinals? I wish!
DeleteWe don't have those around here, I wish we did, they are so pretty. We have the cousin, the blue jay.
ReplyDeleteBlue jays are pretty too...and feisty. We have them every once in a while as well.
DeleteSuch a pretty bird...we have blue jays out here, but mom is not much of a photographer.
ReplyDeleteWe have blue jays too. We were lucky he was so interested in the cardinal living in the sliding glass door...it made him easy to photograph.
DeleteOz, you're so lucky! We're waiting for cardinals to return, but spring is being very pokey around here. Please ask your cardinal to send some of his friends our way. We've got three feeders full of yums for them! Purrs, Ateret, Livia and Abbi
ReplyDeleteI will most definitely let him know if he comes back around!
DeleteMiss Kitty has one she watches with gusto each day. She runs from window to window just to keep up with him as he flies to and fro. I think he knows she's watching because he is always here even landing close to the windows.
ReplyDeleteThey are very brave little birdies...I tell you!
DeleteThere was a cardinal on my deck yesterday but it wasn't banging into anything!
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky. He drove us mad with all his knocking. BOL
DeleteWoof! Woof! Have not seen one but for sure we will. Beautiful. Golden Thanks for the very interesting information. Happy BlogPaws WW. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
ReplyDeleteThanks Sugar. Hopefully you can see one soon!
DeleteOh, I love cardinals! Thanks for sharing yours!! Happy WW!
ReplyDeleteThey are very beautiful birds.
DeleteCardinals are the Virginia State Bird. I see them everyday, all year long.....
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky!!! I know we have bigger birds here who have a tendency to eat the little ones.
DeleteWe don't get any around here, to many big guys in the sky that attack the small stuff. We say lets go with all the meanings!
ReplyDeleteThe Mad Scots
For the most part those were all pretty good omens, at least there wasn't anything bad! So he finally went away after a couple of days?
ReplyDeleteNope, not bad at all. Yes, after day 2 he was done I guess. We haven't seen him since.
DeleteWow I had no idea the cardinals had such positive symbolism behind them. Maybe it's a sign of good things to come. Better buy a lottery ticket!
ReplyDeleteBOL! Maybe it is a sign of good things to come. *paws crossed*
DeleteDon't see them very often but they are very pretty!
ReplyDeleteWe don't see them often either.
DeleteThat is so beautiful, my daddy loves birds and we only see what he calls boring ones, he would of love to have seen that :) happy wordless Wednesday xx00xxx
ReplyDeleteMollie and Alfie
Oh, boring birds...well, you can show him the video and tell him to act like he was here!
Deletethat Cardinal is gorgeous! I think he was looking for a tree to build a nest so that his wife could have babies there :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what we thought too...but then they left and never came back.
DeleteMama loves cardinals and we have a nesting pear in the trees Mama refers to as the bird condos. There are several nests in there and when those birds get to chatting, it is loud.
ReplyDeleteBird condos...that's cute! They can be loud but their singing can be really pretty too.
DeleteWhat an amazing bird! Around here, we get MAGNIFICENT (sarcastically) birds called seagulls and pigeons! I wish I could see a bird that beautiful, I would maybe chase it! It looked quite hyper in the video! Did you bark at it Oz?
ReplyDeletePippa :)
BOL. We have seagulls and pigeons too...just not in our backyard. I did not bark at it, Pippa. I am a gentleman to birds.
DeleteNone here Oz all we got is big fat pigeons and crows and maybe a gull or two and a heron from time to time. We don't have anything exotic, Sigh! We love their colour. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly
Cardinals are "exotic"? Where do you live Molly? BOL
DeletePS forgot to say bravo bravo for your sterling work on those limericks. Pawsome buddy.
ReplyDeleteMolly
Thank you. Still more coming...
DeleteLOL What a crazy lil cardinal! I learned a few new things about them too. Thanx!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteHow funny - I see you did a visitor post as well! I LOVE cardinals, but I haven't seen one since we lived in Philly over 12 years ago. We used to ahve them in Bermuda as well. We have a lot of birds here in San Diego, but no cardinals. :(
ReplyDeleteAw, that's too bad. I would think San Diego would have lots of similar birds to Florida...guess not.
DeleteNo cardinals over here! They sure are pretty though! A little silly too, hehe. ;)
ReplyDeletexoxo
Marquie, Lassie & Petal
Silly wasn't the word for it. He was nutty!
DeleteHAs you asked Mr Cardinal if he was drunk? Dat could be da problem...NOT dat I would knows anything bout dat though...hehehehe.
ReplyDeleteWe has cardinals and they are really incredible to sees in da furs...or featheres or whatevers. I knoew some of them symbolism things but some I hasn't heard. Very cool!
Puddles
Puddles, you are not foolin' anyone saying you "do not know anything about getting drunk". BOL I don't think he was drunk but his reflection sure did confuse him!
DeleteWhat a beauty! We've seen lots of chickens around here. And ducks. What do those mean? They won't go away.
ReplyDeleteI don't know Flea...do you want me to investigate and find out?!?
DeleteThe Illinois state bird is the Cardinal; they are here year 'round. They are on our environmental plates. We love them!
ReplyDeleteHis song was very pretty...though he only sang when he wasn't fightinh off the phantom cardinal. BOL
DeleteWhat a gorgeous cardinal! Happy WW!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I thought he was quite handsome.
DeleteWe see cardinals from time to time. Thankfully they don't peck at the window. That would drive my dog Pierson absolutely nuts!
ReplyDeleteOh Pierson would LOVE it!!!
DeleteRingy dingy one, ringy dingy two ~ hello Great and Powerful Oz, on this go around I will take the vitality with a balance of intuition, perseverance and strength and skip the crap of troublesome or trying times now give me the badge of courage darn it.
ReplyDeleteThe bird is tearing the leave off of your bonsai. It is the Ohio state bird also. I think it has lined up a lot of states.
Thanks for being a friend
Sweet William The Scot
BOL! BOL! Sir William, you are making us laugh so hard we can barely type a response..
DeleteI shall send you your badge of courage immediately. Don't you worry. And...the bonsai is in its shedding of leaves phase, so no big deal on the cardinal kicking some leaves off. They'll come back.
And you are right...it seems it is the state bird almost everywhere. BOL Not here in Florida though!
Your state has the mockingbird and if it starts to mimic that crazed cardinal well I would say get out of Dodge because you will be living in a Hitchcock film The Birds.
DeleteSweet William The Scot
Yes...it is true. The Florida State Bird is the Mockingbird. They are evil son-of-a-guns, dive-bombing people and pets during mating season. They also mimic every other birds call...but do it at a God-awful time of night in our backyard. "Dodge" is infested with crazy mockingbirds...run for your life!!!!
DeleteBWHAHAHAHAHA...I is crackin' up overs Sw. William's comment
ReplyDeleteIf I was you, I would start makin' everybuddy call you da Great and Powerful Oz, it has a nice sound to it.
Puddles...again
Sir William does make me crack-the-F-up most of the time! It is why he is such a good friend...as are you, my drunk-as-a-skunk-cheeseburger-eatin' pal! *Hugs*
DeleteThat is too funny! What a silly cardinal... We have LOTS of cardinals here, so I see them everyday. I even see the female cardinal mostly everyday too.
ReplyDeleteWe saw the female on the first day but I think she got tired of trying to convince Mr. Cardinal to leave his reflection alone. BOL
DeleteI just love cardinals! I was watching a pair in my redbud tree in the front yard last week while sewing. They were simply stunning against the pink flowers of the tree, and I so wished I could have gotten a decent photo of them. Thankfully they did not try "attacking" themselves in my large front windows. Cats (and my cairn Gracie) would have been all over that!
ReplyDeleteI would think cats would've gone mad for my cardinal. I tend to leave the small birds alone.
DeleteWe don't get them around here, sadly. I thinks your Cardinal is a few seeds short of a cup! I also thinks if you attact crazy burds, your one yourself!! BOL (Ma told me that one...must be why all her furends are crazy!!!!)
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Ruby
BOL Ruby..."a few seeds short of a cup". I like that.
DeleteI love cardinals! Mom got mad though, because I killed one when it flew to low a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteNola
Oh dear dawg...you killed one? Oh Nola...
DeleteWe get cardinals at the bird feeder at our cabin all of the time. But they aren't as crazy as yours. Usually they eat and move on. But the woodpeckers. They will peck on the cabin sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWoodpeckers are such fun! We rarely see one of those here.
DeleteI saw a cardinal yesterday...scared me to death because it landed on my car on the driver's side out of nowhere while I was parked!
ReplyDeleteOh, he was definitely visiting you for some reason. See above and pick a symbolic meaning. BOL
DeleteBeautiful cardinal
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
I thought so too.
DeleteSadly your beautiful bird doesn't visit the left coast. Handsome guy!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, that's just odd. You all have such wonderful trees over there for them to live in!
DeleteWow I have learnt so much!
ReplyDeleteWho knew, right?
DeleteLove it! We have several Cardinals at our bird feeders every day. They especially like to sit in the holly bushes nearby to wait for their turn :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Miss Sue. Maybe if we had a bird feeder we would see them more often.
DeleteHe's very pretty! It was very interesting to learn about a bird I'd never heard of.
ReplyDeleteYou never heard of a cardinal, Clowie?
DeleteVery Intrestering, I didn't know. 12 days for egg hatching, wow! I haven't seen any in WI yet. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that either until I started my research. Hope you see a cardinal soon.
DeleteHi Oz,
ReplyDeleteI don't know what it means when you have a Cardinal visit like that, though your list of meanings was interesting - I do know however, that we've had a bird tapping on our side window for the last 2 years in spring and it lasts for weeks and it drives me nuts, and is very annoying - I'm not sure if it's your bird, but I know he hasn't come back YET this year and hopefully he won't! :)
Wags to all,
Your pal Snoopy :)
Hi Snoopy.
DeleteMaybe the bird tapping on your side window is a cardinal?!? Though, it could be a woodpecker...sometimes they forget they are supposed to peck on wood. Paws crossed it won't come back for so long and annoy you. BOL
Oz
My favorite thing about a cardinal is that bright spot of color in our white, winter world! Last winter we had a female come and peck at our kitchen window over and over again, for some reason!
ReplyDeleteShe was letting you know something....maybe.
DeleteHe's so pretty:-)
ReplyDeleteWe dussnt got Cardinals my pal....but Lola is forever walkin into glass doors...she haz no brane you see...
ReplyDelete