Common Redpolls in Nunavut
When redpolls are present in Nunavut, when they nest, which native Nunavut plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a yard.
- Status in Nunavut
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canada 0a
When to expect redpolls in Nunavut
Common Redpolls are summer residents in Nunavut, arriving shortly before nesting begins in July and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on seeds and insects on the tundra.
Arctic tundra across the mainland and Arctic Archipelago.
Nesting in Nunavut
Across Nunavut, redpolls typically nest from July. Nest site: cup low in shrubs on the tundra. Females lay 4–5 eggs, incubate for 10–11 days, and young leave the nest after 10–14 days.
A few weeks of summer thaw when tundra birds nest.
- Common Redpolls don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, willow (bebb), dwarf birch for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Nunavut plants that attract redpolls
Of the regional native plants we track for Nunavut, these 4 provide food or cover redpolls use:
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.
Feeding redpolls through the Nunavut year
Redpolls survive −60°F nights with a throat pouch that stores seed; they arrive at feeders in irruption winters.
- Best foods: Nyjer, Hulled sunflower.
- In Nunavut's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are redpolls in Nunavut year-round?
No. Common Redpolls are summer breeders in Nunavut and leave for the winter.
When do redpolls nest in Nunavut?
Nesting in Nunavut typically runs July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–5 eggs, incubated for 10–11 days.
What native plants attract redpolls in Nunavut?
Paper birch, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch, Fireweed are native plants in Nunavut that provide food or cover for redpolls.
Common Redpolls in other regions
Other backyard birds in Nunavut
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 — Nunavut
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- 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.