Redpoll Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesRedpoll
Adult male (Common)
Small finch with a red cap, two white wingbars, notched tail, and short yellow bill surrounded by black. Adult male "Common" form has a rosy-red wash on the breast and upper flanks and brownish streaked upperparts.
© Mollie Ficker / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, January 08, 2021Female/immature (Common)
Small finch with a short, conical yellow bill. Female/immature "Common" form is brown and streaky with a tiny red patch on the crown. Note streaking on undertail coverts on both sexes.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 23, 2012Adult male
Small, energetic finch with red cap, yellow bill, streaked upperparts, and two white wingbars. Adult male "Common" form has pinkish-red wash across breast and streaked flanks. Often visits bird feeders when populations irrupt south to the northern U.S. and southern Canada.
© Daniel Jauvin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, January 29, 2021Not all videos have sound
Adult male (Hoary)
Adult male "Hoary" form is mostly white with a red crown patch and a pink washed chest. Some individuals like this one are extremely pale with limited streaking on the sides while others are darker with more streaking.
© Marlene Kraml / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 28, 2021Female/immature (Hoary)
Female/immature "Hoary" form is white overall with a red crown patch and lightly streaked back and sides. Note unstreaked undertail coverts.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryLapland, April 09, 2011Female/immature
Acrobatic little songbird, often seen hanging upside down in pursuit of seeds. The "Hoary" form (seen here) is typically paler and smaller-billed than the "Common" form.
© Jean Iron / Macaulay LibraryOntario, March 13, 2023Not all videos have sound
Adult male (Lesser)
The "Lesser" group, restricted to Europe, is smaller and darker than other Redpoll subspecies groups.
© Zbigniew Kajzer / Macaulay LibraryPomorskie, May 29, 2022Female/immature (Lesser)
Nonbreeding female/immature "Lesser" group has a strong brownish wash on the head.
© Rudraksha Chodankar / Macaulay LibraryEngland, October 28, 2023Female
Feeds mainly on seeds, but also eats insects when they are available. Female/immature "Lesser" Redpoll, found only in Europe, has a distinctive brownish wash on the head, throat, and flanks.
© Greg Baker / Macaulay LibraryEngland, March 01, 2021Not all videos have sound
Juvenile (Common)
Juvenile "Common" is dark brown and heavily streaked overall and lacks adult's yellow bill.
© Heather Pickard / Macaulay LibraryNunavut, August 18, 2016Adult male (Common)
Small-billed finch with heavily streaked sides. Adult males have a red crown and a pink-washed chest.
© Bruce Gates / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 22, 2016Flock (with Snow Buntings)
Often forages in large flocks in weedy fields during the nonbreeding season.
© Marie Read / Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 14, 2011Not all videos have sound
Female/immature (Common)
All forms have a small red cap (the "poll" in redpoll) on the forehead.
© Lucas Eckert / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 20, 2021Female/immature (Hoary)
Feeds largely on birch and willow seeds during the nonbreeding season.
© Weston Barker / Macaulay LibraryMaine, December 12, 2020Adult male (Hoary)
Breeds in arctic tundra and boreal forest across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 30, 2018Female/immature (Hoary)
The "Hoary" form has an unstreaked white rump and a cold pale appearance overall.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 22, 2013Flock
During the nonbreeding season, flocks of several hundred individuals feed on seeds in weedy fields.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 22, 2021Flock
Often found at backyard bird feeders in the winter in the northern U.S. and southern Canada.
© Becca Engdahl / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, February 23, 2016Similar SpeciesHouse Finch
Adult male
House Finch is larger with a heavier bill than the tiny-billed Redpoll. Adult males also have more red on the head than the small patch of red on the crown of Redpolls.
© Suzanne Labbé / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, February 21, 2017Similar SpeciesHouse Finch
Female/immature
House Finch is larger with a heavier bill than Redpoll. Female/immature House Finch is more heavily streaked below and lacks the Redpoll's red cap.
© Dave Spier / Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 15, 2008Similar SpeciesPurple Finch
Adult male (Eastern)
Purple Finch is larger with a heavier bill than the small-billed Redpoll. Adult male Purple Finch also has more red on the head than Redpoll's small red cap.
© Wendy Hogan / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 22, 2016Similar SpeciesPurple Finch
Female/immature (Eastern)
Purple Finch is larger and heavier-billed than Redpoll. Female/immature Purple Finch is more heavily streaked below, has a more contrasting face pattern, and lacks Redpoll's red cap.
© Scott Martin / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 14, 2017Similar SpeciesCassin's Finch
Adult male
Cassin's Finch is larger with a heavier bill than the small-billed Redpoll. Adult male also has more red on the head than Redpoll.
© Milton Vine / Macaulay LibraryOregon, May 15, 2017Similar SpeciesCassin's Finch
Female/immature
Cassin's Finch is larger with a heavier bill than Redpoll. Female/immature Cassin's Finch is more heavily streaked below than Redpoll and lacks the Redpoll's red crown.
© Nigel Voaden / Macaulay LibraryColorado, April 24, 2015Similar SpeciesPine Siskin
Adult (Northern)
Pine Siskin is darker overall and more heavily streaked than Redpoll. Pine Siskin has yellow edging on the wings and tail and lack Redpoll's red cap.
© Douglas Faulder / Macaulay LibraryAlberta, July 30, 2017Rotate 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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