Yes, but worms are not a major part of their diet. Cardinals eat caterpillars, mealworms, and some garden pest worms, but they strongly prefer seeds. Worms make up a small fraction of the roughly 30% of their diet that comes from insects and invertebrates.
Which Worms Cardinals Eat
| Worm type | Do cardinals eat it? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mealworms | Yes | Will eat from feeders, especially in breeding season |
| Caterpillars | Yes - preferred | Soft-bodied, high protein, fed to chicks |
| Tomato hornworms | Yes | Cardinals help protect garden tomato plants |
| Army worms | Yes | Natural pest control for lawns and crops |
| Earthworms | Rarely | Robins eat earthworms far more than cardinals |
| Grubs | Occasionally | Cardinals scratch through leaf litter to find them |
Why Cardinals Are Not Big Worm Eaters
Cardinals are built for seed-cracking, not worm-pulling. Their thick conical bills are designed to crush sunflower seeds and safflower, not to probe soil like a robin. Cardinals forage through leaf litter and low vegetation for insects rather than pulling worms from the ground.
Cardinal Diet by Season
| Season | Primary food | Insect intake |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Seeds + insects | High - breeding demands protein |
| Summer | Seeds, fruit, insects | High - feeding chicks |
| Autumn | Seeds, berries | Moderate |
| Winter | Seeds, dried berries | Low - insects scarce |
Offering Mealworms to Cardinals
Mealworms are the easiest worm to offer at a feeder. Cardinals prefer live mealworms but will eat dried ones too.
Live mealworms - Place in a smooth-sided dish so they cannot crawl out. Cardinals, bluebirds, and wrens will find them quickly.
Dried mealworms - Scatter on a platform feeder or mix with seed. Soak in warm water for 10 minutes to rehydrate them - this makes them more appealing.
Garden Pest Control
Cardinals eat tomato hornworms, army worms, and other garden pests. A single pair raising chicks can consume thousands of insects in a breeding season. To encourage this natural pest control:
- Skip pesticides in your garden
- Plant native shrubs that attract insects
- Leave leaf litter for cardinals to forage through
Cardinals eat worms when they find them, but seeds are always their first choice. If you want to attract cardinals, start with black oil sunflower seeds - then add mealworms as a protein boost during breeding season.
