Common Redpolls in Ontario
When redpolls are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Winter visitor
- Nesting window
- Does not typically nest here
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect redpolls in Ontario
In Ontario, redpolls are winter visitors rather than breeders. Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches. While here they rely on birch seed and feeder nyjer.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Native Ontario plants that attract redpolls
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover redpolls use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Leave seed heads up through winter for goldfinches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Feeding redpolls through the Ontario 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 Ontario's winter: Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Frequently asked
Are redpolls in Ontario year-round?
No. Common Redpolls are winter visitors in Ontario and do not typically nest there.
What native plants attract redpolls in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Wild bergamot, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Little bluestem, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for redpolls.
Common Redpolls in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
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 — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.