We seem to be seeing fewer Northern Cardinals this winter, and now is the leafless time to see the startlingly red males, such as this one.
The males’ plumage is as bright as the vestment of a Roman Catholic Cardinal, hence the species’ name. The female doesn’t wear a bright vestment, but she does wear lipstick when she reaches sexual maturity:
Juvenile Cardinals have gray-black beaks:
You might wonder whether the male Cardinal’s bright winter cloak is a case of evolution going wrong, but researchers have discovered that female Cardinals will select the brightest of their suitors to mate. It seems that the females know that the brighter the red of the male, the healthier he likely will be. (Brooklin, Maine)