This bird has been seen daily at my feeder for more than one week. Is it an immature male cardinal? – Ruth McLeese, Hampton Yes, Ruth’s bird is a young male cardinal. Between being in juvenile plumage or in heavy molt, cardinals can look surprisingly confusing at times. When they lose all or most of their crest it changes their general appearance. Very young cardinals have dusky bills like a number of other finches while “adolescents” and adults in molt have red or orange beaks. The red/orange coloration is unique among heavy-billed birds in New Brunswick, so knowing that helps quite a bit when one is uncertain because of plumage variation. – Jim Wilson