Perch Supply
Diet

What do redpolls eat?

Birch and alder catkin seeds.

Finches (Fringillidae)Common RedpollAcanthis flammea

Spring and summer diet

  • Seeds and insects on the tundra

Fall and winter diet

  • Birch seed and feeder nyjer

Best feeder foods

  • Nyjer
  • Hulled sunflower

Redpolls survive −60°F nights with a throat pouch that stores seed; they arrive at feeders in irruption winters.

Which feeder works best for redpolls →

Where redpolls need winter food

Regions where redpolls are present in the cold months:

AlbertaBritish ColumbiaIdahoMaineManitobaMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMontanaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew YorkNorth DakotaNova ScotiaOntarioPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecSaskatchewanSouth DakotaVermontWashingtonWisconsinWyoming

Frequently asked

What do redpolls eat?

Birch and alder catkin seeds.

What is the best food to feed redpolls?

Nyjer, Hulled sunflower.

What do redpolls eat in winter?

Birch seed and feeder nyjer.

Sources

  1. Common Redpoll — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Common Redpoll life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Common 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.