Yukon · Year-round resident

Red Crossbills in Yukon

When red crossbills are present in Yukon, when they nest, which native Yukon plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1b yard.

Finches (Fringillidae)Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra

Status in Yukon: Year-round resident
Nesting window: February–December
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 0a–1b

When to expect red crossbills in Yukon

Red Crossbills live in Yukon all year. Long, dark winters well below −20°F. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Subarctic continental with mountains, boreal forest and Arctic tundra in the north.

Nesting in Yukon

Across Yukon, red crossbills typically nest from February–December. Plan around that window: January for setup, December for clean-out.

Short summers with nearly 24-hour daylight.

Red Crossbills don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as white spruce, black spruce, tamarack for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after December.

Native Yukon plants that attract red crossbills

Of the regional native plants we track for Yukon, these 3 provide food or cover red crossbills use:

White spruce

Picea glauca · Tree

Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.

Black spruce

Picea mariana · Tree

Persistent cones in boreal bogs.

Tamarack

Larix laricina · Tree

Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.

Feeding red crossbills through the Yukon year

Top foods: Black-oil sunflower, Hulled sunflower.
In Yukon's winter: Long, dark winters well below −20°F.

Full diet breakdown for red crossbills · Best feeder for red crossbills

Frequently asked

Are red crossbills in Yukon year-round?

Yes. Red Crossbills are year-round residents in Yukon.

When do red crossbills nest in Yukon?

Nesting in Yukon typically runs February–December, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–5 eggs, incubated for 12–16 days.

What native plants attract red crossbills in Yukon?

White spruce, Black spruce, Tamarack are native plants in Yukon that provide food or cover for red crossbills.

Other backyard birds in Yukon

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler American Tree Sparrow Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush Violet-green Swallow American Crow Common Raven Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Western Tanager Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

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.