It is just for contrast, not accuracy, that the MLB St. Louis Cardinals and the NFL Arizona Cardinals feature the cardinal birds’ bills as yellow to orange-yellow not orange-red as in the actual cardinal bird. This color variation from the real bird shows on uniforms and the actual mascot bird. The bill color, orange-red, is the same regardless of bird gender. Only a male cardinal is featured as mascots. Immature cardinal birds have black bills that turn orange-red when the birds mature. While ornithologists and birders may notice, even object, it’s the teams’ choice. Many team mascots are not representative of real animals such as Seattle Seahawks, while of mascots are, for example, Golden Eagles but all the posters, mascots, and uniforms feature bald eagles.
Countryside News
