Hoary Redpoll in May
Where hoary redpolls are in May, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
May in the Hoary 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 Hoary Redpoll specifically, May is a spring month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 37 states and provinces where hoary redpolls occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where hoary redpolls are in May
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In May, hoary redpolls are absent in the South, year-round resident 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
Hoary 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, hoary 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
- Birch and willow seeds; insects
The prize in any redpoll flock — scan large winter nyjer flocks for the palest, frostiest bird.
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 Hoary Redpoll diet guide → · Best feeder for hoary redpolls →
Watching hoary redpolls this month
Hoary 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 hoary redpolls are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Hoary Redpoll month by month
Hoary Redpoll by state
Frequently asked
Where are hoary redpolls in May?
In May, hoary redpolls are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do hoary redpolls nest in May?
No — hoary redpolls typically nest June through July at mid-latitudes.
What do hoary redpolls eat in May?
Birch and willow seeds; insects.
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.