Minnesota’s diverse habitats—from boreal forests to prairie edges—create perfect conditions for an impressive array of red bird species throughout the year.
While Northern Cardinals brighten winter feeders with their cheerful presence, the state’s northern location also attracts Arctic species like crossbills and redpolls during irruption years.
Whether you’re watching your backyard feeder in the Twin Cities or exploring Superior National Forest, you’ll encounter red birds ranging from common year-round residents to rare visitors that birders travel across the state to see.
1. Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinals transform Minnesota’s winter landscapes into living postcards, their brilliant red plumage standing out dramatically against snow-covered branches. Male cardinals wear vibrant scarlet feathers from head to tail, accented by a distinctive black face mask surrounding their thick orange-red bill.
That prominent pointed crest gives them an alert, regal appearance whether perched or in flight.
Female cardinals display more understated elegance with warm tan-brown plumage highlighted by reddish accents on their wings, crest, and tail. Both sexes share the characteristic crest and robust conical bill perfectly adapted for cracking seeds, making identification straightforward even for beginning birdwatchers.
Pro Tip: Cardinals rank among the few North American bird species where females sing regularly. Listen for their clear, whistled songs year-round—phrases that sound like “purdy-purdy-purdy” or “cheer-cheer-cheer” ringing through neighborhoods and woodlands alike.
These adaptable birds thrive across southern and central Minnesota, with their range gradually expanding northward as winters moderate. You’ll find cardinals in suburban yards, city parks, and woodland edges where dense shrubs provide nesting cover and escape routes from predators. They maintain year-round territories once established, making them reliable subjects for backyard bird feeding enthusiasts.
Cardinals visit feeders throughout the day but show peak activity during early morning and late afternoon hours, often arriving in pairs even outside breeding season. They demonstrate strong preferences for sunflower seeds and safflower seeds, typically feeding from platform feeders or directly on the ground beneath hanging feeders.
Best Viewing Locations:
- Como Park and Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis-St. Paul
- Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
- Residential neighborhoods with mature landscaping
- State parks throughout southern and central regions
The species has thrived alongside human development, with populations remaining stable across their Minnesota range thanks to widespread backyard feeding and suitable habitat in both urban and suburban environments.
2. House Finch
House Finches bring vibrant splashes of rosy-red to Minnesota’s urban and suburban landscapes, gathering in chattering flocks at feeders and ornamental plantings year-round. Male House Finches display variable red coloring concentrated on their head, breast, and rump—ranging from pale orange to deep crimson depending on diet quality during feather growth.
Brown streaking covers their back, wings, and flanks, creating a distinctly marked appearance. Female House Finches lack any red coloring entirely, instead showing overall grayish-brown plumage with heavy streaking across their breast and sides. Both sexes feature relatively short, conical bills and compact bodies noticeably smaller than Northern Cardinals.
The House Finch’s complex, warbling song consists of a lengthy series of varied notes often ending with an upward or downward slur. Males sing persistently from prominent perches throughout the breeding season, establishing territories even in urban environments where natural singing posts may be limited.
Key Insight: House Finches originally inhabited only western North America until the 1940s, when released cage birds in New York established eastern populations that spread rapidly. They reached Minnesota by the 1980s and now rank among the state’s most common feeder birds.
These highly social birds form flocks outside breeding season, with groups of 10-50 individuals moving between food sources and roosting sites. Unlike many finch species that show seasonal movements, House Finches remain year-round residents in Minnesota’s urban areas where reliable food sources and shelter exist.
House Finches readily adapt to tube feeders, hopper feeders, and platform styles, showing particular fondness for nyjer seed and black oil sunflower seeds. During breeding season from April through August, pairs construct cup nests in diverse locations including building ledges, hanging baskets, evergreen branches, and even holiday wreaths left on doors.
| Feature | House Finch | Purple Finch |
|---|---|---|
| Male Head/Breast Color | Orange to red, variable | Raspberry-red, uniform |
| Streaking | Heavy brown on sides/flanks | Minimal, cleaner appearance |
| Bill Shape | Small, conical | Larger, more curved |
| Facial Pattern | Plain | Bold white eyebrow (females) |
| Voice | Long, jumbled warble | Rich, flowing phrases |
| Minnesota Status | Common year-round | Uncommon migrant/winter |
Watch for House Finches in residential areas, shopping center landscaping, city parks, and anywhere ornamental plantings provide seeds and berries. Their adaptability to human-modified environments ensures encounters throughout Minnesota’s developed areas, making them excellent subjects for beginning birders developing identification skills.
3. Purple Finch
Purple Finches visit Minnesota primarily during migration periods and winter months, bringing deep raspberry-red beauty to feeders and forests across the state. Male Purple Finches appear “dipped in wine,” with rich raspberry coloring washing over their head, breast, back, and rump.
This extensive red coloration lacks the brown streaking characteristic of House Finches, creating a cleaner, more uniform appearance that experienced birders recognize immediately.
These stocky finches feature notched tails, relatively large heads, and curved upper bills that create a distinctive profile. Female Purple Finches display bold white eyebrow stripes and strong facial patterns that make identification more straightforward than separating similar female House Finches.
Purple Finches prefer woodland habitats and forest edges over open suburban areas, making them less frequent feeder visitors than their House Finch cousins.
During spring migration in April-May and fall migration in September-October, they pass through Minnesota in moderate numbers, with some individuals remaining through winter when food supplies prove adequate.
Important Note: Purple Finch populations have declined significantly across their range over recent decades, with competition from House Finches and habitat loss contributing to their reduced numbers. Each Minnesota sighting carries more significance as their abundance continues trending downward.
Their rich, melodious song flows more smoothly than the House Finch’s choppy warble, consisting of rising and falling phrases that sound almost robin-like in quality. The distinctive “pik” call note, sharper and more metallic than the House Finch’s softer “wheet,” often reveals their presence before visual confirmation.
During winter visits to Minnesota, Purple Finches feed on tree buds, seeds, and berries, occasionally joining mixed flocks of other finches at well-stocked feeders. They show preferences for sunflower seeds and demonstrate more wariness around feeders compared to the bold House Finches, typically feeding briefly before retreating to nearby cover.
Prime viewing opportunities include:
- Northern Minnesota forests during breeding season (occasional)
- Migration hotspots in April-May and September-October statewide
- Winter feeders in wooded residential areas
- State forests with mature conifers and mixed hardwoods
In Minnesota’s northern regions, small numbers breed in coniferous and mixed forests, constructing cup nests on horizontal conifer branches. Most Minnesotans encounter Purple Finches during migration or winter rather than breeding season, making familiarity with their distinctive raspberry coloring and clean underparts essential for confident identification.
4. Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanagers rank among Minnesota’s most spectacular breeding birds, with males displaying electric scarlet bodies contrasted by jet-black wings and tail during summer months. This striking color combination makes identification unmistakable when males appear in full breeding plumage from May through July.
Their medium size—slightly larger than robins—and thick bills adapted for catching insects complete their distinctive profile.
Female Scarlet Tanagers and non-breeding males wear olive-green plumage above with yellowish underparts, accompanied by dark gray or blackish wings that distinguish them from similarly colored warblers. Even in this more subdued plumage, their relatively large size and wing coloration provide reliable identification features.
These forest canopy specialists inhabit Minnesota’s mature deciduous and mixed forests during breeding season, foraging high in the treetops for caterpillars, beetles, and other insects. Scarlet Tanagers move deliberately through foliage, sometimes hovering briefly to glean insects from leaf surfaces, making observation challenging without patience and quality optics.
Pro Tip: Male Scarlet Tanagers undergo complete molts after breeding season, transforming from brilliant red to yellow-green while retaining their black wings. Watch for these transitional birds during August and September migration—they can cause identification confusion if you’re not expecting the change.
The Scarlet Tanager’s song resembles a hoarse robin’s melody, consisting of 4-5 phrase patterns delivered in quick succession. Many experienced birders describe it memorably as “a robin with a sore throat.” Their distinctive “chick-burr” call note often betrays their presence high in the canopy well before visual detection occurs.
In Minnesota, Scarlet Tanagers breed across the state’s forested regions, showing particular abundance in:
- Chippewa National Forest’s mature hardwood stands
- Superior National Forest’s mixed forests
- Mississippi River valley forests
- State parks with extensive oak-maple woodlands
During spring migration peaking in mid-May, Scarlet Tanagers appear throughout Minnesota as they move northward to breeding territories.
They construct shallow cup nests on horizontal branches of large trees, typically 20-50 feet above ground where dense foliage provides concealment from predators and shade for developing nestlings.
Common Mistake: Beginning birders sometimes confuse female and immature Scarlet Tanagers with various warbler species. Remember that tanagers show thicker bills, larger overall size, and darker wings compared to the delicate warblers sharing their forest habitat.
These insect specialists rarely visit bird feeders, though they may investigate offerings of grape jelly or orange halves during migration. Most Minnesota sightings occur in appropriate forest habitat or during migration fallouts when weather conditions concentrate migrants in lakeside woodlands and urban parks.
5. Summer Tanager
Summer Tanagers bring tropical brilliance to Minnesota during migration and occasional breeding attempts, though sightings remain considerably less common than the more numerous Scarlet Tanagers.
Adult male Summer Tanagers display stunning rose-red plumage covering their entire body uniformly, lacking any black markings that characterize Scarlet Tanagers. Their coloration appears slightly paler and more uniform than the Scarlet Tanager’s intense scarlet.
Female Summer Tanagers wear mustard-yellow or greenish-yellow plumage that can show orange tones in some individuals. Their relatively large, pale yellowish bills and substantial size help distinguish them from smaller warblers and vireos that share similar yellow coloring.
Scarlet vs. Summer Tanager Identification:
| Feature | Scarlet Tanager | Summer Tanager |
|---|---|---|
| Male Body | Electric scarlet | Rose-red, uniform |
| Wings | Jet black | Rose-red (matches body) |
| Bill | Dark, thick | Pale yellowish, large |
| Female Color | Olive-green | Mustard-yellow |
| Song | Hoarse, robin-like | Clear, melodious |
| Minnesota Status | Common breeder | Rare migrant/breeder |
These canopy specialists typically remain high in mature deciduous trees, making observation challenging even when present. Summer Tanagers demonstrate remarkable hunting skills, specializing in catching bees and wasps in midair—a unique dietary preference that requires patient observation to witness but provides definitive identification when seen.
The Summer Tanager’s robin-like song consists of clear, melodious phrases given at a steady, unhurried pace. Their distinctive “pik-a-tuk” or “ki-ti-tuk” call note often reveals their presence before visual confirmation, especially when birds remain high in dense canopy foliage.
In Minnesota, Summer Tanagers appear mainly as rare spring migrants from late April through May, with very occasional breeding records in southeastern counties. They prefer mature forests with open understories near water where insect populations thrive, making river valleys and lakeside forests prime habitat.
Best chances for Summer Tanager sightings:
- Spring migration along Mississippi River corridor
- Southeastern Minnesota river valleys in May
- Established birding hotspots during peak migration
- Mature oak-hickory forests near water
Unlike seed-eating finches, tanagers rarely visit backyard feeders, though they may investigate offerings of oranges, grape jelly, or mealworms during migration.
Most Minnesota sightings involve careful observation in appropriate forest habitat during peak spring migration, when exhausted birds sometimes appear in unexpected locations.
Summer Tanagers nest primarily across southern states, making Minnesota breeding attempts noteworthy events that attract attention from local birding communities.
Any suspected nesting activity warrants documentation and reporting to Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union to contribute to understanding the species’ expanding range.
6. Red Crossbill
Red Crossbills represent one of Minnesota’s most unpredictable and fascinating red bird species, appearing irregularly depending on conifer cone crop success and regional food availability. Male Red Crossbills display brick-red or orange-red plumage covering most of their body, contrasted by darker brownish wings and tail.
Their most remarkable feature remains their uniquely crossed bill tips—mandibles that literally cross each other, specially evolved for extracting seeds from tightly closed conifer cones.
Female Red Crossbills wear dull olive-yellow or grayish-green plumage, while juveniles show streaky appearances before molting into adult colors. All ages share the characteristic crossed mandibles, though the direction of crossing varies individually—some birds cross right over left while others show the opposite pattern.
Key Insight: Red Crossbills don’t follow predictable migration schedules like most birds. Instead, they exhibit “irruptive” movements, appearing in large numbers during some years while remaining virtually absent in others, entirely dependent on where cone crops succeed or fail across the boreal forest.
These nomadic finches inhabit coniferous forests wherever pine, spruce, or tamarack produce cone crops. In Minnesota, Red Crossbills occur year-round in northern counties with extensive conifers, wandering more widely during irruption years when northern cone failures trigger southward movements into central and southern regions.
Red Crossbills announce their presence with distinctive “jip-jip-jip” flight calls given constantly as flocks move between feeding areas. Learning this call proves essential for crossbill detection, as birds often pass overhead without landing or remain high in conifer tops where visual observation proves difficult.
Their specialized feeding technique fascinates observers who take time to watch. Red Crossbills insert their crossed bill tips between cone scales, then use their powerful jaw muscles to force scales apart while the tongue extracts seeds—a method so efficient that crossbills access food sources completely unavailable to other seed-eating birds.
Where to find Red Crossbills in Minnesota:
- Superior National Forest conifer stands year-round
- Chippewa National Forest pine plantations
- Sax-Zim Bog area during winter
- State forest campgrounds with mature conifers
- Urban areas with ornamental spruces during irruptions
Scientists have identified at least 10 distinct “call types” of Red Crossbills in North America, representing populations or potentially separate species that differ in vocalizations, bill dimensions, and preferred cone species.
Minnesota hosts primarily Type 2 (ponderosa pine specialist) and Type 3 (western hemlock specialist) birds, though other types appear occasionally during major irruptions.
When Red Crossbills locate productive cone crops, they often remain in areas for weeks or months, providing repeated viewing opportunities once you discover their location.
Their acrobatic feeding behavior—hanging upside-down from cone tips, sometimes in flocks of dozens—creates memorable observation sessions that showcase their remarkable evolutionary adaptations.
7. Pine Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeaks bring rare winter beauty to Minnesota during exceptional irruption years, though they remain considerably less predictable than other northern finches. Male Pine Grosbeaks showcase soft rosy-pink coloring on their head, back, breast, and rump, contrasted beautifully by gray flanks and two white wing bars.
Their robin-sized bulk and thick, stubby bills create an unmistakable profile that prevents confusion with smaller finches.
These large, gentle finches move with deliberate, unhurried movements while feeding on buds, seeds, and berries. Female Pine Grosbeaks display golden-yellow or rusty-olive coloring on their head and rump instead of pink, maintaining the same overall structure, wing bars, and substantial size as males.
Pro Tip: Pine Grosbeaks earn reputations as remarkably tame birds, often allowing close approach by quiet observers. Their gentle disposition combined with musical warbling calls makes encounters particularly memorable despite their rarity and unpredictability in Minnesota.
During major irruption winters occurring roughly every 3-5 years, Pine Grosbeaks reach Minnesota when food shortages in their boreal forest breeding grounds trigger southward movements.
These irregular visitors typically appear from November through March, feeding methodically on mountain ash berries, crabapples, tree buds, and ornamental fruit in residential areas and parks.
The species produces soft, whistled call notes that sound like “tee-tee-tew” given in flight or while perched in fruiting trees. Their warbling song, occasionally heard even during winter visits, consists of rich, melodious phrases delivered at a leisurely pace that matches their unhurried feeding behavior.
Pine Grosbeak irruption indicators to watch:
- Large numbers appearing across northern Minnesota and Canada
- Widespread mountain ash berry crop failures in boreal regions
- Severe early winter conditions across breeding range
- Reports from birding networks of southward movements
During irruption years, Pine Grosbeaks often remain in productive feeding areas for extended periods, sometimes weeks or months if fruit supplies last.
Check local birding reports and eBird alerts for recent sightings, as finding these birds typically involves visiting locations where others have reported them rather than stumbling upon them randomly.
Prime Minnesota locations during irruptions include:
- Duluth area neighborhoods with mountain ash plantings
- Sax-Zim Bog region
- North Shore communities along Lake Superior
- Northern Twin Cities suburbs with fruit-bearing ornamentals
Pine Grosbeaks feed primarily on buds, seeds, and fruits, showing particular fondness for ash keys (seeds), maple buds, and various berries. They typically feed in small flocks of 3-15 individuals, moving methodically through trees while maintaining vocal contact with soft call notes that help observers locate these otherwise quiet birds.
8. Common Redpoll
Common Redpolls visit Minnesota irregularly during winter months, bringing welcome touches of pink to the season’s color palette when Arctic food supplies diminish. Male Common Redpolls display crimson caps (“polls”) on their foreheads combined with rosy-pink breasts and rumps, while heavily streaked brown plumage covers their backs and flanks.
Their small size—noticeably smaller than House Finches—and tiny yellow bills create a distinctive, compact appearance.
Female redpolls share the characteristic red forehead cap but lack the pink breast coloring of males, instead showing heavier brown streaking across their underparts. Both sexes display small black chin patches, deeply forked tails, and wing bars that aid identification when observing active feeding flocks.
These hyperactive little finches constantly chatter while feeding, creating noisy flocks that move rapidly between food sources with barely a pause.
Common Redpolls show remarkable cold tolerance, regularly surviving temperatures of -65°F in their Arctic breeding grounds through specialized physiological adaptations including increased metabolic capacity and specialized plumage.
Key Insight: Common Redpolls possess a specialized throat pouch (esophageal diverticulum) that allows them to rapidly collect and store seeds for later processing. This adaptation enables them to quickly gather food during brief Arctic daylight periods, then digest it while roosting protected from extreme cold and wind.
In Minnesota, Common Redpolls appear most frequently during major irruption winters when northern birch and alder seed crops fail across Canada. These movements typically occur from November through March, with peak numbers appearing January through February.
Flocks range from small groups of 5-10 birds to occasionally hundreds during exceptional flight years.
Identifying Common Redpolls:
- Size: Very small (5-5.5 inches, sparrow-sized)
- Crown: Bright crimson forehead cap (both sexes)
- Chin: Small black bib under bill
- Breast: Males show variable rose-pink wash; females lack pink
- Streaking: Heavy brown streaking on back, sides, and flanks
- Bill: Tiny, sharp, conical, yellow
- Rump: Often shows pale or pinkish (males)
- Call: Rattling “chit-chit-chit-chit” given constantly in flight
Redpolls feed primarily on small seeds, particularly favoring birch, alder, and various grass seeds that remain available on plants throughout winter. In Minnesota, watch for feeding flocks in weedy fields, birch groves, lakeside alders, and backyard feeders offering nyjer seed or finely chopped sunflower chips.
During feeding, redpolls hang acrobatically from seed heads and slender branch tips, sometimes hovering briefly to access seeds while maintaining constant vocal contact. Their non-stop motion and chattering make flocks easy to detect once you learn their characteristic flight calls and behavior patterns.
Best Minnesota locations for redpolls during irruption years:
- Sax-Zim Bog—reliable winter hotspot
- Feeders throughout northern Minnesota
- Weedy fields and prairie edges statewide
- Lakeside birch and alder thickets
- Urban areas with good seed-producing plants
Once located, redpoll flocks often remain in productive feeding areas for days or weeks, providing repeated viewing opportunities throughout winter. Their approachability and constant activity make them entertaining subjects for extended observation sessions, whether at feeders or in natural settings with abundant seed sources.
9. White-winged Crossbill
White-winged Crossbills represent Minnesota’s rarest regularly occurring red bird, appearing only during exceptional winter irruptions when boreal forest conditions trigger southward movements.
Male White-winged Crossbills display rose-pink or raspberry-red plumage beautifully contrasted by black wings marked with two bold white wing bars.
Like their Red Crossbill cousins, they possess uniquely crossed bill tips adapted for extracting conifer seeds from tightly closed cones.
These specialized finches differ from Red Crossbills through their distinctive white wing bars visible in all plumages, slightly smaller overall size, and more delicate bill structure.
Female White-winged Crossbills show greenish-yellow or grayish plumage with yellowish rumps, always maintaining the characteristic white wing bars that make identification more straightforward than separating female Red Crossbills from other finch species.
Important Note: White-winged Crossbill appearances in Minnesota occur irregularly, often with multiple years passing between significant irruptions. When they do appear, they may be found in small numbers mixed with Red Crossbill flocks or feeding separately in stands of their preferred conifer species.
White-winged Crossbills specialize in extracting seeds from spruce, tamarack (larch), and hemlock cones, using their smaller, more delicate bills to access food sources that larger-billed Red Crossbills cannot efficiently exploit.
This dietary specialization means White-winged Crossbills require specific habitats with appropriate conifer species, somewhat limiting their occurrence even during irruption years.
Crossbill Comparison Guide:
| Characteristic | White-winged Crossbill | Red Crossbill |
|---|---|---|
| Wing Bars | Two bold white bars | None |
| Size | Smaller, more delicate | Larger, bulkier |
| Male Color | Rose-pink to raspberry | Brick-red to orange-red |
| Bill | Smaller, finer | Larger, heavier |
| Flight Call | High “chif-chif-chif” | Lower “jip-jip-jip” |
| Preferred Cones | Spruce, tamarack, hemlock | Pine primarily |
| Minnesota Status | Rare, irregular irruptive | Uncommon but regular |
The species’ distinctive flight call sounds like “chif-chif-chif” or “peet-peet-peet,” noticeably higher-pitched and more delicate than Red Crossbills’ harder “jip-jip-jip” notes.
Learning these vocal differences proves essential since crossbills often remain high in conifers where visual observation proves challenging, especially in Minnesota’s extensive northern forests.
During the rare years when White-winged Crossbills reach Minnesota—typically in response to widespread spruce cone failures across Canada—they may appear from November through April wherever suitable conifers exist.
Superior National Forest’s spruce stands, northern Minnesota’s tamarack bogs, and ornamental conifer plantings in Duluth and other northern communities offer the best detection opportunities.
Like other irruptive species, White-winged Crossbills wander nomadically in search of productive cone crops, making predictions about their appearance nearly impossible.
Monitoring regional birding networks, Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union reports, and eBird alerts helps track irruption movements southward from Canada, providing advance notice when White-winged Crossbills approach Minnesota.
When feeding, White-winged Crossbills exhibit the same acrobatic behavior as Red Crossbills, hanging upside-down from branch tips while expertly manipulating cones with their specialized bills.
They often feed in small flocks that may join larger Red Crossbill groups, requiring careful scrutiny of flock members to detect the distinctive white wing bars and smaller size.
Conclusion
Minnesota’s exceptional diversity of red bird species—from reliable residents to unpredictable Arctic visitors—offers year-round opportunities for memorable encounters. Success in finding these species requires understanding seasonal patterns, learning distinctive calls and songs, and visiting appropriate habitats during optimal times throughout the state’s varied landscapes.
Spring migration from late April through May brings peak diversity, when resident cardinals and House Finches join migrating tanagers and departing winter finches. Summer provides reliable observations of breeding cardinals, House Finches, and Scarlet Tanagers in appropriate forest habitats.
Fall migration from August through October brings southbound tanagers and early arrivals of northern finches, while winter offers the most excitement for observers hoping to encounter irruptive species like crossbills, grosbeaks, and redpolls.
Equipping yourself appropriately transforms casual watching into productive birding. Quality binoculars (8×42 or 10×42), a Minnesota-specific field guide, warm layered clothing for winter birding, and the eBird mobile app for tracking rare species reports all contribute to successful outings.
The app enables real-time monitoring of unusual sightings, helping you respond quickly when rare red birds appear at accessible locations.
Creating bird-friendly habitat in your yard attracts both resident and visiting species. Native plantings including serviceberry, elderberry, and crabapple provide natural food sources, while reliable water features remain attractive year-round.
Feeders stocked with black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seed, and safflower attract cardinals and finches, while maintaining natural seed heads through winter benefits redpolls and other small finches during irruption years.
Whether you’re scanning your suburban feeder hoping for winter rarities, exploring Superior National Forest searching for crossbills, or hiking state parks during spring migration watching for tanagers, Minnesota’s red birds reward patient observation with spectacular beauty, fascinating behaviors, and the constant possibility of rare discoveries.
Each outing builds identification skills while connecting you more deeply with the natural rhythms of Minnesota’s diverse bird communities across all seasons.
