Why is it illegal to shoot songbirds?

Answer 1

Yes, it is illegal to shoot or kill Cardinals ("red birds"), there are various protective laws in place for them and other Songbirds that are listed on the endangered species lists (and, in the US, there are also Migratory Bird Act protections that apply). Cardinals are in danger of extinction (see related link for their listing on the Red List endangered species list). Additional note: Much of the decline in songbird population is blamed on domestic cat predation. If you have a pet cat, please keep a bell on its collar so the birds get a fair warning that they are being stalked by a serious killing machine. Better still, do not let your pet cats out of the house unless they are on a leash so they are not able to kill songbirds at such an alarming rate. Cats, as non-native predators, are responsible for killing millions of songbirds each year in North America alone. A Wisconsin study estimated that cats kill 39 million birds in that state alone each year, mostly songbirds. See the related link below for information on how you can prevent your cat from being part of the problems contributing to the endangerment of songbirds.

It is senseless to kill any songbird. According to the IUCN Redlist, the cardinal has a worlrdwide population of approximately 100 million birds. They are listed as a species of least concern, not endangered.

Answer 2

It is illegal because they are migratory birds, and their population in areas controls populations of both their prey and predators. Lawmakers, game wardens, etc don't want you shooting songbirds because of the fact that they are not pests, do not harm to surrounding ecosystems, and keep insect populations in check.