Red bird, red bird … what do you see?

A few years before my husband and I had our first child, we suffered two early miscarriages. The first loss was devastating; the second loss was terrifying. I truly did not know at that point if we were going to be faced with a series of repeat losses or if this was just one of those things.

In the midst of our grief, my husband wrote me a card and gave me a snow globe with a cardinal in it. He told me that cardinals are signs from loved ones that everything is going to turn out fine. He said he felt like it was a sign from my own father who has passed away letting us know that ultimately, we would be fine and have this family that we desperately begged God to give us. Eighteen months later I gave birth to our first child named Mary Leigh, and two years later, I gave birth to our second child Patrick, to whom we gave my father’s name.

Ever since we experienced these losses, we have developed a deep connection to cardinals and have found great personal significance to them in our lives.

There is something striking about seeing a cardinal in the middle of a cold winter’s day. Cardinals have a remarkably distinct song. Unlike many other birds that migrate in the winter months, cardinals are non-migratory and stay around foraging for food in the winter months. You see cardinals in Indiana year-round. Often referred to as spiritual messengers, cardinals offer a bold pop of color in the long days of winter bringing with it new life and vibrancy amid the dreary days of winter.

I never take the sight of one for granted. Sometimes when I see one and point it out to my husband who may not have seen it before it flies to its next destination, he will tell me that it was intended for me that day. There are many accounts of people saying they have seen cardinals after the passing of loved ones, leaving them to believe that they are in some way delivering a message from those whom we have loved and lost.

Cardinal picture drawn by my stepfather, Al Hopkins. (Photo provided by Megan Rathz)

How can you attract these vibrant scarlet visitors to your own yard? Providing a place for cardinals to safely eat and live, along with a consistent food and water source, are going to be some of the best ways for you to have cardinals regularly frequent your backyard this winter.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, “Cardinals will often seek refuge in shrubs, thickets and tall weeds during the cold winter months. Some of their favorite foods include pokeberry, poison ivy fruit, elm buds, box elder seeds, ragweed seeds, sunflower seeds, muskmelon seeds and corn.”

You will often see cardinals on the ground hopping around as they eat. A feeder is a great addition to your backyard if you are hoping to attract cardinals. A stationary feeder with a perch is ideal for cardinals. Providing a source of water for cardinals is also essential, especially during winter even if the water freezes when temperatures drop, they are able to use their beaks and obtain water. The best food sources for cardinals are sunflower seeds, particularly black sunflower seeds and safflower seeds. They also enjoy peanuts, berries, and cracked corn.

My daughter loves the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin, Jr. One of the lines along with an illustration by Eric Carle of a cardinal in the book reads, “Red bird, red bird … what do you see?” I always wonder if these red birds realize what they mean to those who get to behold the sights of them. Do these birds understand how symbolic they are to so many people? Can you imagine being so special that the mere sight of you tells someone whom you do not even know that they are going to be fine?

I can only hope that for someone reading this who also relates to cardinals as spiritual messengers from loved ones visiting, that this will serve as a visit from one of those magical red birds. Whatever it is you are worried about – this is your sign that it is going to be fine. Nature is speaking to us. Are you listening?

Megan Rathz is a wife, mother and teacher. She says everything she has ever learned in life came from her Master Gardener mother.