As the year progresses and we get further and further from summer, the competition between the young northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), especially the males, gets stronger. With all the scuffling and driving each other away from perches and food, it’s amazing that anyone ever eats. The males occasionally pick on the females and the females sometimes pick on each other, but most of the time it’s the males vying for everything. It’s entertaining to watch, and eventually one male will drive the others off before the breeding season begins. One thing I find especially interesting, though, is that despite all the rivalry these birds always arrive and depart together as a group.

Today the boys had been all competing for this perch near the feeding station. This morning this fellow was the victor, but that comes with its own set of issues. He then had to set up singing to let everyone else know the perch was his. After each little bout of song he had to look around anxiously to make sure his brothers weren’t about to ambush him. I guess even being the top bird has its drawbacks.