My husband and I have been on a mission this spring to befriend the neighborhood cardinals and have taken great care to keep our backyard feeder fully stocked with birdseed. Ever since I first came to Indiana I have savored each and every flash of scarlet wings that happens across my path but it wasn’t until this year that we took the time to investigate the Indiana state bird a bit. They are indeed named for their bright red feathers, reminiscent of the vestments worn by the cardinals of the Catholic Church. My husband and I also discovered that their ruby coloring is doubly appropriate as these are incredibly amorous birds who often mate for life. The male’s dazzling red coat is just one way in which he woos his beloved. Cardinal birds also grow up learning just a handful of birdsongs from their fathers which they must perfect in order to attract their one and only. Once they have, they become dedicated fathers themselves and providers for the nest, gathering food for their ladies and even taking turns sitting on the nest.