A small finch of the far north. Adult male has black chin and lores, red crown, tiny yellow bill, and gray body plumage with pink wash on breast, dark streaks on sides, dark gray back with black streaks, and black wings with white wingbars. Female and first-year birds lack pink wash on breast. Darker, smaller, and more streamlined overall than Hoary Redpoll.

Length: 13 (cm) Wingspan: 23 (cm)

Voice:

Chirps and trilled phrases, elongated buzz, and short chip notes.

Habitat:

Open fields, hedges, weedy pastures, teasel, stands of birch and willow, suburbs.

Behavior:

Nest is an open cup placed in a small tree or shrub. Often in flocks, sometimes with Hoary Redpolls. Irruptive; reaches farther south in some winters than others.

Feeding:

Feeds on ground or among vegetation; eats small seeds and some insects. Frequently visits bird feeders.