Northern cardinal, Marion County, Illinois, USA

© Richard and Susan Day/Danita Delimon

Northern cardinal, Illinois, USA

This scarlet winterberry shrub is the perfect hiding place for the northern cardinal in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months. Winterberry is a deciduous holly that's native to North America and can be a modest shrub or a tree as tall as 4.5 metres. The yellow and green flower clusters that bloom in spring transform into bright red berries in winter.

Cardinals spend the winter in the eastern United States, brightening the dreary winter months with their scarlet feathers. It's only the male cardinal that has crimson plumage, though. Female cardinals are mostly light brown, with a bit of red. Some people believe sighting a cardinal is good luck or a message of support from a deceased loved one.