When do redpolls arrive in Alaska?
The Common Redpoll is a summer breeder in Alaska — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Common Redpoll timing in Alaska
- Arrives
- Around June
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- July
- Present roughly
- June–August
In Alaska, redpolls are present through the warm months, arriving around June and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Alaska sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when redpolls are expected in Alaska. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before June is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early June — the first redpolls into Alaska are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around July, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What redpolls eat while they're here
- Seeds and insects on the tundra
Redpolls survive −60°F nights with a throat pouch that stores seed; they arrive at feeders in irruption winters.
Full Common Redpoll diet guide → · Best feeder for redpolls →
Native plants that hold redpolls in Alaska
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Alaska-native plants are known to attract redpolls:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.
Tall magenta spikes are a key northern hummingbird flower.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do redpolls arrive in Alaska?
redpolls typically arrive in Alaska around June, with nesting underway by July. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do redpolls leave Alaska?
Most redpolls have left Alaska by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do redpolls stay in Alaska all year?
No — in Alaska the Common Redpoll is a summer breeder, present roughly June–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before redpolls arrive in Alaska?
Have feeders up and clean by early June — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: seeds and insects on the tundra.
Sources
- Common Redpoll — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Common Redpoll life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Common Redpoll — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alaska
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.