Bird Tool Usage: Crows catch grubs with twigs

Knowing What You Can Eat is a Bushcraft Essential

Bushcraft like improvising a shelter, making a weapon, or producing fire are basics that one must have in case of being lost or isolated in the wild. These skills maybe necessary but what is most important is knowing what you can eat when you are out there.

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The North American Red Cardinal

The Most Misguided of BirdsCardinals (Cardinalidae) are a family of avians usually found in the eastern United States and Canada, with a few species known to inhabit south American countries as far down as Belize. Cardinals prefer forests and even swamps to the open range. Although the North American cardinal is  not usually seen in the southwestern United States, when it is spotted it tends to be fickle–showing forth much bravado one moment, but then losing its courage and skulking off timidly the next.The male Arizona Cardinal (Cardinalis Dispicablus) of North America is named for its red plumage and is a close cousin of the turkey, whose baser traits it is known to display when under intense pressure.The Arizona Cardinal has a distinctive design on it’s head and a mask on it’s face, which it tends to hide behind when indecisive and uncertain. It is known to be a bottom-feeder, gleaning the ground for various insects, grubs and fruit. The male Arizona Cardinal behaves terrotorially, marking out it’s territory only to retreat when rivaled. It is especially prone to clumsiness when out in the open field where it can be observed moving and maneuvering in an erratic manner. It was once prized as a pet, but it’s sale has now been banned in the United States by the Foul Bird Treaty Act.The Arizona Cardinal is a brilliant crimson red with black markings underneath its eyes and, at times, a yellow belly. Its colors are dullest when it is expected to shine the brightest.The male of the species has been known to perform poorly when confronted by males of other species, often being mocked and outrun by the yellow Pennsylvanian Harrison bird. Although it will put up a valiant battle when cornered, it lacks skill and cunning compared to many of its competitors, and a skirmish involving three male Arizona Cardinals against just one Pennsylvania Holmes bird usually ends in the Holmes bird overpowering all three of its opponents.