The northern cardinal is a bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal, or just cardinal.
Cardinals play an essential role in the animal food chain as both prey and predators. In their role as prey, cardinals provide an excellent source of protein nutrients to the vast range of organisms that feed on them.
Cardinels are secondary consumer. The northern cardinal is an omnivore, eating both plant and animal material. It is important to the ecosystem because it is a seed disperser, allowing seeds of different plants to be scattered through various habitats.