Common Redpoll in May
Where redpolls are in May, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
May in the Common Redpoll's year
May is the peak of the birding year. Migration floods the North, dawn chorus is at its loudest, and nesting is underway across most of the continent. By month's end the first broods of the year are hatching in mid-latitudes.
For the Common Redpoll specifically, May is a spring month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 29 states and provinces where redpolls occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where redpolls are in May
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In May, redpolls are absent in the South, summer breeder across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in May
Redpolls are not nesting in May. The season runs June–July at mid-latitudes, starting roughly a month earlier in the South.
Outside the nesting season, redpolls put their energy into feeding and flocking rather than territory and young — which is exactly what makes them easier to watch and attract this month.
What to feed in May
- Seeds and insects on the tundra
Redpolls survive −60°F nights with a throat pouch that stores seed; they arrive at feeders in irruption winters.
Adults feeding nestlings need easy calories. Some species that ignored feeders all winter now visit regularly, and you may see fledglings brought to feeders by their parents.
Full Common Redpoll diet guide → · Best feeder for redpolls →
Watching redpolls this month
Redpolls are settled and predictable in May, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region redpolls are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Common Redpoll month by month
Common Redpoll by state
Frequently asked
Where are redpolls in May?
In May, redpolls are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do redpolls nest in May?
No — redpolls typically nest June through July at mid-latitudes.
What do redpolls eat in May?
Seeds and insects on the tundra.
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
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.