Common Redpoll
Common RedpollCommon RedpollCommon RedpollCommon Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Elk Island National Park
32 Verified sightings at Elk Island National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,648 Verified sightings across all 37 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Common Redpoll

The redpoll (Acanthis flammea) is a species of small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Acanthis. It breeds in the Arctic and north temperate Holarctic tundra and taiga. The redpoll was formerly widely treated as three species: the common or mealy redpoll, the arctic or hoary redpoll (A. hornemanni), and the lesser redpoll (A. cabaret).

The redpoll was listed in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Fringilla flammea. The specific epithet flammea is Latin meaning "flame-coloured". Linnaeus also described the redpoll as Fringilla linaria on the same page, but the earlier name flammea has priority.

The redpoll was previously placed in the genus Carduelis. Molecular phylogenetic studies showed that it formed a distinct lineage, so it was moved to the resurrected genus Acanthis that had been introduced in 1797 by the German naturalist Moritz Balthasar Borkhausen. The genus name Acanthis is from Ancient Greek akanthis, a name for a small now-unidentifiable bird.

Five subspecies are recognised: A. f. flammea (Linnaeus, 1758) – north Europe, Siberia... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Elk Island National Park

American Goldfinch
LC

American Goldfinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spinus tristis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Pine Siskin
LC

Pine Siskin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spinus pinus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Purple Finch
LC

Purple Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haemorhous purpureus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
White-winged Crossbill
LC

White-winged Crossbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Loxia leucoptera

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
House Finch
LC

House Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Red Crossbill
LC

Red Crossbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Loxia curvirostra

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Pine Grosbeak
LC

Pine Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pinicola enucleator

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
American Robin
LC

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Song Sparrow
LC

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Red-winged Blackbird
LC

Red-winged Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~60%
2 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~60%
3 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~40%
4 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~40%
5 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~30%
6 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
7 Hohe Tauern National Park 🇦🇹 Austria
~20%
8 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~20%
9 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~20%
10 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
11 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~10%
12 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
13 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
14 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
15 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
16 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
17 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
~10%
18 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
19 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
20 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
21 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
<5%
22 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
23 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
<5%
24 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
25 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
<5%
26 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
27 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
28 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
29 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
30 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
31 Egmont National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
32 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
33 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
34 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
35 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
36 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
37 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Redpoll in Elk Island National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Redpoll sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 32 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Redpoll in Elk Island National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Common Redpoll in Elk Island National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Elk Island National Park