The Bilateral Cardinal
Mark Challender /Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Feather colors identify the northern cardinal’s gender. The light brown-gray color you see the bird pictured indicates that it’s a female. If the feathers are bright red, then it is male. What makes the northern cardinal so interesting is their ability to be two genders at once.
If the cardinal’s color has a split between the brown-gray and red, then it is a case of bilateral gynandromorphism. This is a rare occurrence, so don’t go out looking for them.
