Do male Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) know that they are bright red in color? When I spooked one of them yesterday morning at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, he flew to a nearby field and perched in the midst of a mass of vegetation.
Did he think that he was hidden from me? Obviously he was not—his red coloration makes it almost impossible for him to blend in. I couldn’t help but think of a quotation that is attributed to Dr. Seuss, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” That’s probably a good question for all of us—as you can probably guess, I am somewhat of a non-conformist.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Great shots and love how you relate the quote to the picture. Love Dr. Seuss. 🙂
Very colorful Mike! Really stands out!
Best!❤
Might as well stand out when you’re naturally so outstanding.
Oh such a joy to see these exquisite photos, Mike.
Thanks, Jet. As I recall, you don’t have cardinals in California. They are pretty common where I live, but I never take them for granted.
That’s right, Mike, we do not have northern cardinals in California. I’m glad you do not take them for granted, and your photos prove that.
You have an abundance of birds in your area that we don’t have that make up for your lack of northern cardinals. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and to Athena.
Beautiful!!
Hard to hide something that beautiful.
Im glad he stands out, Mike. Those are great images. And, because no harm came to him, maybe his hiding job was OK.
I am fascinated by the way that some species of birds and insects have evolved to either blend in really well with the environment or to stand out from it. I suspect that there are multiple variables in play. Whatever the case, I love seeing cardinals in the gray days of winter, when most colors are muted.
He was art-directing your shot into a wonderful color combination.
Thanks, Michael. The colors of the vegetation really helped to give me a sense of the environment without being intrusive.
I often think the same thing when these bright birds appear to be lurking in the foliage ….. though they can’t be missed! Terrific shots!! And I love that quote!
Haha, love your thoughts! And yay for non-conformity!
Thanks, Laura.