The cardinal’s diet consists of approximately 35% percent insects and 65% percent vegetable matter. They forage on the ground, in thickets, under upper and lower tree canopies, and underneath shrubbery.
They generally stay as concealed as possible, while feeding, so as to avoid predators such as sharp shinned hawks. They consume many insect pests including moths, cutworms, grasshoppers, aphids, snails, and slugs.
A great variety of weed seeds are also consumed as well as leaf and flower buds. Cardinals are also very fond of wild fruits such as hackberries, dogwoods, hollies, mulberries, elderberries, sumac, and viburnums. The preferred foods for cardinals at bird feeders are sunflower seed, safflower seed, and white millet.