How to Attract Cardinals to Your Yard?

September 11, 2025

Why Everyone Loves Cardinals in Their Backyard

Not many birds grab your eye quite like a Northern Cardinal; with their bright red color, happy tunes, and the fact that they stick around all year, cardinals are some of the most wanted birds for people watching in their yards. Then, how to attract cardinals to your yard? If you want to get cardinals to come to your place, the cool thing is that you don't need fancy stuff or a giant yard. Just get the right grub, feeders, a good place for them to live, and wait a bit. Then your yard could turn into a hot spot for these awesome birds.

Understand Cardinal Behavior and Needs First

If you want cardinals to visit, it helps to know what they do. Cardinals don't move around for the seasons, so they stick around all year. They like to eat on the ground, hopping around for seeds instead of using small hanging feeders. They might seem shy at the start, but they are loyal once they like a spot.

When you set up your yard with their habits in mind, you'll probably see them more often and turn your yard into the kind of place they want to come back to every day.

Offer The Right Food for Cardinals

Want to bring cardinals to your yard? Start with the food they love!

Sunflower seeds – especially the black-oil kind – are like candy to them.

Safflower seeds are good too, and they keep annoying birds like starlings away.

Cracked corn and unsalted, shelled peanuts are like occasional snacks for them.

In the winter, give them suet cakes for extra energy.

Good birdseed is a must. The cheap stuff has fillers like millet and oats that cardinals usually skip. If you always have good food out, they'll trust you and keep visiting.

Choose The Best Bird Feeder for Attracting Cardinals

Cardinals are kind of big birds with strong beaks, so not every bird feeder is a good fit. The best feeders for cardinals usually have three things in common: they're sturdy, easy to get to, and have enough space.

Platform feeders are nice since they're similar to how cardinals eat on the ground. The open design lets them hop in and eat without having to struggle to stay balanced.

Hopper feeders are also a good pick. They have big perches and lots of room for seeds, which keeps the food dry and plentiful. Cardinals also have enough space to eat without feeling crowded.

There are even special cardinal feeders with wide perches that are built strong to hold their size.

If you want something more than a regular feeder, the WoBirdy Smart Bird Feeder Camera is cool for getting cardinals to visit. It has a wide tray for them to eat comfortably, and the camera lets you record their visits. Also, the solar panel keeps it running all the time, and it even scares off squirrels. It can withstand the weather and store tons of videos. It's good for bird fans who want a reliable feeder and enjoy watching birds.

Provide Water Source

Like all birds, cardinals need water to drink and wash up. Putting a birdbath out might attract them to your yard.

Keep the water shallow – they seem to prefer only 2 or 3 inches of water.

Try adding a fountain or something that drips; the sound and movement will really grab their attention.

In winter, if you heat the birdbath, they’ll have water even when it’s freezing out.

Make sure to keep it clean by changing the water every few days and scrubbing the birdbath once a week, so algae and germs don’t build up.

Make Your Yard a Cardinal Paradise

Sure, food and water help, but what you plant makes a big difference in getting cardinals to visit. They like open spots to grab food and thick bushes to hide in to stay safe.

Plant native bushes such as dogwood, sumac, and serviceberry; they give shelter and berries to eat.

Evergreen trees, like pine and cedar, give cover all year, more so during winter.

Flowers such as sunflowers and coneflowers give seeds naturally.

If you plant tall trees, medium shrubs, and ground cover, it will look like the cardinals' natural home. This method gives them everything they need in one spot.

Keep Predators and Pests Away

One challenge when learning how to attract cardinals is keeping unwanted visitors from dominating your setup.

Squirrels: Put baffles on poles and get feeders that squirrels can't get into. WoBirdy Bird Feeder with Camera add an extra layer of protection with an anti-squirrel alarm feature. By triggering predator-like sounds remotely via the app, it deters squirrels without harming them, keeping the feeder reserved for your feathered visitors.

How to Keep Squirrels Away from Bird Feeders>>

Pushy Birds: Big birds like grackles or starlings can take over; safflower seeds can help keep them away.

Cats: Set up feeders away from spots where cats can hide.

If cardinals feel safe, they'll hang around longer and keep coming back.

Observe Cardinals Without Disturbing Them

Watching cardinals is fun, but they spook easily. Put feeders near windows or where you sit, and use blinds, or just be quiet. They'll get used to you being around after a while.

Be Patient!

Attracting cardinals takes time. They might not trust your feeders right away, maybe waiting weeks. So, keep at it! Keep those feeders full, provide clean water, and make sure your yard feels safe and welcoming. Once they start including your place in their regular rounds, you'll get to see these beautiful birds all the time.