Snow birds

We had snow today and you can see a little of it on this beautiful female cardinal's claws. These birds sing a few different melodies and are one of the first birds you hear in the early morning in the spring. They have very strong bills so they do well with bird feeders and seeds. They are so well loved that seven different U.S. States have named them their official state bird.
I really like the way they look on a snowy day because they stand out so nice against all that white stuff. Of course the male bird is the brilliant red so he usually gets all the attention but I really like the colors of the female and think she is quite brilliant in her own way.