The 100 year old ban

Red Cardinals were once prized as a pet, but their sale as captive birds in cages was banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

That’s a relief to me. I find them very comical:

Here’s a female:

Audubon’s illustration of both the male and the female looks just as classy as ever:

He got their disapproving look just right: