Red Crossbill in December
Where red crossbills are in December, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
December in the Red Crossbill's year
December is the start of the true winter season. Birds are settled into winter ranges and flocking behavior peaks — mixed flocks move through woods and yards together, and feeding stations become social hubs. Short days mean birds must find most of their food in a few hours of daylight.
For the Red Crossbill specifically, December is a winter month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 61 states and provinces where red crossbills occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where red crossbills are in December
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In December, red crossbills 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 December
December is inside the Red Crossbill nesting season — about a month earlier in the South and a month later in the North. Nest: cup on a conifer branch; can nest in any month when cones are ripe. Clutch 2–5 eggs, incubation 12–16 days, 1–2 per season.
The southern nesting season has already wound down, but northern pairs are still raising young — the whole season shifts later as you go north. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in December
- Conifer seeds; sunflower at feeders in flight years
Nomadic — appears when cone crops fail elsewhere, empties sunflower feeders, then vanishes for years.
Feeders are busiest at dawn and dusk as birds fuel up against long cold nights. Suet and other high-fat foods earn their keep this month.
Full Red Crossbill diet guide → · Best feeder for red crossbills →
Watching red crossbills this month
In December, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region red crossbills are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Red Crossbill month by month
Red Crossbill by state
Frequently asked
Where are red crossbills in December?
In December, red crossbills are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do red crossbills nest in December?
Yes — December falls inside the Red Crossbill nesting season at mid-latitudes (a month earlier in the South).
What do red crossbills eat in December?
Conifer seeds; sunflower at feeders in flight years.
Sources
- Red Crossbill — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red Crossbill life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red Crossbill — 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.