The Mystery of Why There Are So Few Cardinals in South Dakota

Ask anyone in the Mount Rushmore State why we don't see as many Northern Cardinals as our neighbors in Iowa or Minnesota, and they'll likely give you the same answer: "It's too darn cold!" But the truth has less to do with the thermometer and everything to do with the horizon.

In South Dakota, our red-feathered friends aren't fighting the ice and frost (they can handle that), they're fighting a lack of cover.

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Why Are There So Few Cardinals in the Mount Rushmore State?

The 100th Meridian runs through the central part of South Dakota (north to south), and effectively, it serves as the barrier for birds like the Northern Cardinal. The reason? Trees and humidity levels.

Northern Cardinals are what we call "Edge Birds". They thrive in areas that have dense, shrubby undergrowth and thick river valleys - regions that are abundant in Iowa and Minnesota. In South Dakota (outside the eastern parts of the state), our wide-open prairies act as a monumental "No Man's Land".

READ MORE: Are There Really White Cardinals in South Dakota?

Without the protection of thick timber, these bright-bred birds are basically easy to spot, eye-catching signs for predators. Because the Mount Rushmore State has far fewer forests than our neighbors, Cardinals rely heavily on man-made forests (shelterbelts) to move across our state. Believe it or not, long rows of trees like these act as a biological highway, providing just enough cover for them to expand their territory west, all the way toward Chamberlain and the Missouri River.

Outside the southeastern parts of the state, South Dakotans don't see a lot of Cardinals. But when the bird does brave the open prairies of our state, they face some dangerous predators. These include: The Cooper's Hawk (#1 predator of Cardinals), the Northern Shrike, Feral Cats, Foxes, and Raccoons.

But with more and more tree cover popping up within our state's borders, we'll likely be seeing that radiant red and hearing that iconic "cheer, cheer, cheer" sound much more frequently in the future.

Story Sources: South Dakota Birds Website