how many times a year do cardinals mate
Pairs may mate for successive years, but some also 'divorce' between seasons or choose a new mate when one dies.
Northern cardinal
Pairs may mate for successive years, but some also 'divorce' between seasons or choose a new mate when one dies.
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Northern cardinal [SEP] Reproduction
Pairs may mate for successive years, but some also 'divorce' between seasons or choose a new mate when one dies. Pairs generally stay together year-round but are not necessarily monogamous. DNA studies of two populations of cardinals found that between 9 and 35% of nestlings weren't fathered by the female's mate. Mated pairs sometimes sing together before nesting. During courtship they may also participate in a bonding behavior where the male collects food and brings it to the female, feeding her beak-to-beak. If the mating is successful, this mate-feeding may continue throughout the period of incubation. Males sometimes bring nest material to the female, who does most of the building.