5:20 AM – What’s going on with these Cardinals? I’d like to say it’s a kiss, but after looking closely Mr. Cardinal is feeding Mrs. Cardinal a black oil sunflower seed. Not sure why he’s treating her like a chick.

1:49 PM – MORE on those Cardinals. This is taken from a website called Sciencing.

“Mate feeding” is actually a common occurrence in bird species. In cardinals, it is seen both before mating and while the female is incubating her clutch of eggs. No one knows for sure why this ritual takes place, but there are several schools of thought.

When mate feeding occurs prior to egg-laying, it’s possible that the extra nutrition helps the female when it’s time to lay her eggs. Another theory is that it may increase the likelihood that the female will mate with the male–a form of courtship. Females may also judge the parenting ability of the prospective mate by how well he provides for her.

When mate feeding happens during the incubation period, it may also serve to help with pair-bonding. This can be important to keep the pair together during the short breeding season. Additionally, it may allow the female to remain on the eggs longer than if she had to constantly forage for food.

So that’s what was going on there. Not exactly a kiss, but still part of the courtship ritual.