Common Redpoll Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesCommon Redpoll
Female/immature (flammea)
Small finch with a short, conical yellow bill. Females/immatures are brown and streaky with a tiny red patch on the crown. Note streaking on undertail coverts on males and females.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 23, 2012Female/immature
Uses its small bill to eat small seeds from trees such as willow, birch, alder, and spruce, as well as from grasses and wildflowers.
© Marie Read / Macaulay LibraryDecember 31, 2010Not all videos have sound
Adult male (flammea)
Small-billed finch with heavily streaked sides. Adult males have a red crown and a pink-washed chest.
© Bruce Gates / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 22, 2016Adult male (flammea)
Small finch with a small, pointed, seed-eating bill. Adult males have a red crown and a pink-washed chest. Back and sides are heavily streaked.
© Eric Gofreed / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 15, 2017Juvenile (flammea)
Small finch with a notched tail. Juveniles are dark brown and heavily streaked overall.
© Heather Pickard / Macaulay LibraryNunavut, August 18, 2016Female/immature (rostrata/islandica)
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 23, 2012Flock
In the winter found in open woodlands, scrubby fields, and backyard feeders.
© Chuck Gates / Macaulay LibraryOregon, January 27, 2013Flock
Travels in flocks of up to several hundred individuals. Often found at backyard bird feeders in the winter in the northern U.S. and southern Canada.
© Becca Engdahl / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, February 23, 2016Similar SpeciesHoary Redpoll
Adult male
Hoary Redpolls are often paler overall with an even smaller bill than Common Redpolls, but there is overlap, which makes separating the darker hoaries from commons difficult. They have unstreaked undertail coverts and tend to have less streaking on the sides compared to Common Redpolls, which have streaked undertail coverts and heavily streaked sides.
© Skye Haas / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, March 17, 2017Similar SpeciesHoary Redpoll
Female/immature
Hoary Redpolls are often paler overall with an even smaller bill than Common Redpolls, but some hoaries can be darker, so care should be taken with ID. They have unstreaked undertail coverts and less streaking on the sides compared to Common Redpolls, which have streaked undertail coverts and heavily streaked sides.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryLapland, April 09, 2011Similar SpeciesPine Siskin
Adult (Northern)
Pine Siskins are darker overall and more heavily streaked than Common Redpolls. They also have yellow edging on the wings that Common Redpolls lack.
© Douglas Faulder / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, July 30, 2017Similar SpeciesHouse Finch
Adult male
House Finches are larger with heavier bills than the tiny-billed Common Redpoll. Adult males also have more red on the head than the tiny patch of red on the crown of Common Redpolls.
© Suzanne Labbé / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, February 21, 2017Similar SpeciesHouse Finch
Female/immature
House Finches are larger with heavier bills than the tiny-billed Common Redpoll. Females/immatures are more heavily streaked below than Common Redpolls and they lack the redpoll's red crown.
© Dave Spier / Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 15, 2008Similar SpeciesCassin's Finch
Adult male
Cassin's Finches are larger with heavier bills than the tiny-billed Common Redpoll. Adult males also have more red on the head than Common Redpolls.
© Milton Vine / Macaulay LibraryOregon, May 15, 2017Similar SpeciesCassin's Finch
Female/immature
Cassin's Finches are larger with heavier bills than the tiny-billed Common Redpoll. Females/immatures are more heavily streaked below than Common Redpolls and they lack the redpoll's red crown.
© Nigel Voaden / Macaulay LibraryColorado, April 24, 2015Similar SpeciesPurple Finch
Adult male (Eastern)
Purple Finches are larger with heavier bills than the tiny-billed Common Redpoll. Adult males also have more red on the head than the tiny patch of red on the crown of Common Redpolls.
© Wendy Hogan / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 22, 2016Similar SpeciesPurple Finch
Female/immature (Eastern)
Purple Finches are larger with heavier bills than the tiny-billed Common Redpoll. Females/immatures are more heavily streaked below and have a more contrasting face pattern than Common Redpolls.
© Scott Martin / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 14, 2017Similar SpeciesAmerican Goldfinch
Nonbreeding male
American Goldfinches in winter are more smoothly patterned in brown and yellow tones, with darker wings and bold wingbars compared to the streaky Common Redpoll.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 08, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Fringillidae)
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