Diet
What do hoary redpolls eat?
Tiny seeds of arctic shrubs and sedges.
Finches (Fringillidae)Hoary RedpollAcanthis hornemanni
Spring and summer diet
- Birch and willow seeds; insects
Fall and winter diet
- Nyjer and weed seeds
Best feeder foods
- Nyjer (thistle)
- Hulled sunflower
The prize in any redpoll flock — scan large winter nyjer flocks for the palest, frostiest bird.
Where hoary redpolls need winter food
Regions where hoary redpolls are present in the cold months:
AlaskaAlbertaBritish ColumbiaConnecticutIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasMaineManitobaMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMissouriMontanaNebraskaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaNunavutOhioOklahomaOntarioPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth DakotaVermontWisconsinYukon
Frequently asked
What do hoary redpolls eat?
Tiny seeds of arctic shrubs and sedges.
What is the best food to feed hoary redpolls?
Nyjer (thistle), Hulled sunflower.
What do hoary redpolls eat in winter?
Nyjer and weed seeds.
Sources
- Hoary Redpoll — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hoary Redpoll life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hoary Redpoll — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.