Finches
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
A hardy winter finch from the far north that appears in some years. Nyjer and sunflower are the standard offerings, usually on a small-port feeder.
- Food to offer
- Nyjer
- Sunflower
- Feeder that suits it
- Nyjer feeder or small tube
- Size
- Small
- When to expect it
- Winter (northern North America; irruptive)
- Region
- North
Photos of Common Redpoll
2 imagesFeeding Common Redpoll at a glance
For someone putting out food for the first time.
What to put out
- Nyjer
- Black-oil sunflower
- Hulled sunflower
Best feeder and placement
Nyjer feeder or small tube.
How it behaves at the feeder
A hardy winter finch that appears in some years, often in flocks, and feeds acrobatically on small seeds.
How to recognise it
Small and streaky with a red poll, a black chin patch and a small yellow bill.
Often confused with
Pine Siskin — Siskin lacks the red poll and black chin, and shows yellow wing flashes.
One thing to watch
An irruptive northern visitor. Enjoy it when it comes; do not plan your feeder around it.
An arctic bird on a southern feeder
Redpolls breed in the far north and move south irregularly in winter. Their appearance is tied to northern food supplies, so a garden that hosts them one year may see none the next. This is the same irruptive pattern as Pine Siskins and Evening Grosbeaks.
If a small, streaky finch with a red cap appears in a cold snap, this is a strong candidate.
Identification: the red poll and the black chin
The name is the field mark. Common Redpolls have a small red patch on the crown — the poll — plus a black chin patch, a small yellow bill and heavy streaking. Pine Siskins, which they often travel with, have no red poll and no black chin.
They feed acrobatically on small seeds and will hang from nyjer ports.
Redpoll or siskin?
| Feature | Common Redpoll | Pine Siskin |
|---|---|---|
| Crown | Red poll | No red |
| Chin | Black patch | No black patch |
| Wing flashes | Pale wing-bars | Yellow flashes in wings and tail |
| Bill | Small and yellow | Sharply pointed |
What to put out
Nyjer in a small-port feeder is the standard offering, with black-oil and hulled sunflower also taken. Because they arrive in flocks, the same crowding problem applies as with siskins.
Feed smaller amounts more often rather than filling a large feeder and leaving it. Fresh, dry seed and a clean port matter more than volume.
Common questions
Why do redpolls appear only in some winters?
They are irruptive, moving south in response to northern food supplies rather than on a fixed schedule.
How do I tell one from a Pine Siskin?
The red poll and black chin. Siskins have neither and show yellow wing flashes.
Are they hard to attract?
If they are in the area, nyjer and sunflower will bring them in. If they are not, no feeder will. Their presence is driven by the irruption, not by hardware.