Cardinal Pair in Falling Snow

The northern cardinal takes its name from the red robes of Catholic cardinals. It stays put through the winter instead of flying south, which is why it turns up on so many snowy holiday cards. A bright male and a tan female share one snowy pine branch while the snow keeps falling, a cardinal jigsaw puzzle made for winter. Pairs often stay together all year. In spring the male even feeds his mate, passing seeds to her beak to beak.