Red Reflections

"Male Cardinals reach the peak of brilliance by midwinter ahead of the spring breeding season. Against snow-covered conifers, it’s a feast for our eyes, too. The richness of a male’s red feathers may make a difference in his reproductive success: One study found that in rural areas, brighter red cardinals tended to mate earlier and nest in higher-quality habitat—factors usually associated with more offspring.


But for cardinals that live in cities, redder may not be better. A study in 2010 found that in urban areas brighter cardinals had poorer body condition and didn’t produce as many young as more subtly hued cardinals. The study’s authors said the surprising finding may have to do with the prevalence of non-native honeysuckle. The redness in cardinals comes from carotenoids—pigments that occur naturally in foods such as red and purple fruits. Honeysuckle is often planted in urban gardens and woodlands and has red berries that some cardinals feast upon."
~allaboutbirds.org

 
For the Record,
This day came in sunny, but clouds have moved in. It feels like snow , bit I don't think it's in the forecast till Thursday.

All hands very disturbed.