12 Birds That Look Like Cardinals: 7 Red Species That Cause Confusion

The Northern Cardinal is one of North America’s most recognizable birds, known for its bright red feathers and pointed crest. However, many other bird species share similar features that can confuse even experienced birdwatchers.

Several red-colored birds with crests, distinctive beaks, or similar body shapes can easily be mistaken for cardinals. These lookalike species include various tanagers, finches, grosbeaks, and flycatchers that display red plumage or cardinal-like characteristics. Understanding the key differences between these species helps birders make accurate identifications in the field.

1) Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal is the classic red bird most people picture when they think of cardinals. Males are bright red all over with black on their face and throat.

Both males and females have a pointed crest on their head. They also have a thick, orange-red beak that’s perfect for cracking seeds.

Female Northern Cardinals look different from males. They are brown with warm red touches on their wings, tail, and crest.

2) Pyrrhuloxia

The Pyrrhuloxia looks like a gray version of a Northern Cardinal. This desert bird has the same tall crest but with different colors.

Males are light gray with bright red faces. They have a red stripe down their chest and belly. Their crest tips are also red.

The biggest difference is the bill. Pyrrhuloxias have short, stubby yellow bills that look like a parrot’s beak. Cardinals have longer red bills.

These birds live in hot deserts of the Southwest United States and Mexico.

3) Summer Tanager

The male Summer Tanager looks very similar to a male cardinal because both birds are bright red. They belong to the same bird family called Cardinalidae.

Summer Tanagers are completely red all over their bodies. They do not have the black face mask that cardinals have around their eyes.

These birds also lack the pointed head crest that makes cardinals easy to spot. Their red color looks more even across their whole body.

Summer Tanagers have longer, thinner yellow beaks. Cardinals have shorter, thicker orange-red beaks that look very different.

4) Scarlet Tanager

The male Scarlet Tanager has bright red body plumage with jet-black wings and tail feathers. This creates a striking contrast that looks like a formal tuxedo.

At first glance, these red birds can easily be mistaken for cardinals. However, their black wings make them different from the all-red male cardinal.

Scarlet Tanagers are migrating birds that prefer to stay high in treetops. They belong to the same Cardinalidae family as cardinals, which explains why they look similar.

5) Vermilion Flycatcher

The male Vermilion Flycatcher displays bright red coloring on its head and chest. This vivid red can easily be mistaken for a cardinal at first glance.

However, this bird lacks the cardinal’s distinctive head crest. The Vermilion Flycatcher also has a smaller, more slender body than a cardinal.

Black markings appear around the eyes and on the wings. The bird catches insects by darting through the air from perches on shrubs and fences.

6) House Finch

House Finches are often mistaken for cardinals at bird feeders. Male House Finches have red coloring on their head and chest.

The red can range from bright raspberry to orange-red. This makes them look similar to male cardinals from a distance.

House Finches are smaller than cardinals. They lack the pointed crest that cardinals have on their heads.

Their bodies show streaked patterns in their feathers. Cardinals have solid red coloring without streaks.

7) Red Crossbill

The Red Crossbill stands out from other red birds because of its unusual beak. This bird has crossed tips at the end of its bill, which makes it easy to identify.

Male Red Crossbills have bright red bodies with dark wings. Females and young birds are more yellow or orange in color.

These birds use their special crossed beaks to pull seeds from pine cones. They live in forests and move around a lot looking for food.

8) Hepatic Tanager

The Hepatic Tanager gets its name from its liver-colored plumage. Males have a dusty brick-red color that looks less bright than a cardinal’s red feathers.

These birds live in pine-oak woodlands in the southwestern mountains. They prefer higher elevations than cardinals.

Unlike cardinals, Hepatic Tanagers don’t have a crested head or thick bill. Their red color mixes with orange and light brown parts.

Hepatic Tanagers are smaller than male cardinals. Both birds belong to the same family called Cardinalidae.

9) Black-headed Grosbeak

The Black-headed Grosbeak shares several features with cardinals. Both birds have thick, cone-shaped bills perfect for cracking seeds.

Male Black-headed Grosbeaks display black heads and wings with bright orange-cinnamon bodies. This coloring can remind people of cardinals from a distance.

Female Black-headed Grosbeaks look quite different from males. They show muted brown and cinnamon tones that resemble female cardinals.

These birds live in western North America. They prefer oak woodlands and mountain forests rather than the suburban areas cardinals favor.

10) Crimson-collared Tanager

The Crimson-collared Tanager displays bright red and black feathers that can confuse bird watchers. This tropical bird lives in Central American rainforests.

Its red plumage resembles a cardinal’s coloring. However, the black collar around its neck sets it apart from cardinals.

The tanager has bold color patterns that make it stand out in dense forest areas. Cardinals lack this distinctive black collar marking.

11) Vermillion Flycatcher

The Vermillion Flycatcher is a small bird that looks like a cardinal from far away. Male birds have bright red bodies and heads that match a cardinal’s color.

This bird is much smaller than a cardinal. It has a thin body and no head crest like cardinals have.

Vermillion Flycatchers live in the southwestern United States and parts of Central America. They prefer open areas near water and desert scrub.

These birds catch insects by flying from perches. Their black eye mask and dark wings help tell them apart from real cardinals.

12) Pine Grosbeak

Pine Grosbeaks are large finches that look similar to cardinals because of their thick bodies and cone-shaped beaks. Males have grayish bodies with pinkish-red colors on their heads and chest.

These birds are much bigger than other finches. They use their thick, stubby bills to crush seeds and eat tree buds.

Pine Grosbeaks live in northern forests with spruce, fir, and pine trees. They visit bird feeders during winter months when looking for food.