Red avian creatures are more prevalent than one might surmise, and there exists a plethora of diverse species to behold.
In the province of Ontario, twelve varieties of red birds have been documented. Among these, seven species are officially recognized as regularly occurring according to state checklists, while an additional four species are considered rare or accidental, and one more is classified as an introduced species.
To facilitate the identification of red bird species in Ontario, this guide is designed to align with avibase. Certain avian beings among these exhibit migratory behaviors, while others remain year-round residents.
For those seeking to recognize the avian visitors frequenting their backyards, a complimentary worksheet for bird identification in Ontario can be printed.
The most prevalent red bird in both the summer and winter months within Ontario is the Northern Cardinal. The Purple Finch is predominantly sighted during summer, whereas several other species are commonly observed during the winter season. Therefore, continue reading to ascertain the optimal times for encountering these vibrant red avian creatures.
Ontario’s Dozen Red Birds:
1. Northern Cardinal
Northern cardinals, with their striking red heads, bodies, and tails, embellished by black accents around their faces, constitute a remarkably captivating sight, particularly against a backdrop of wintry white landscapes. The female specimens also possess their own alluring features, characterized by brown hues, pronounced brown crests, red highlights, and red beaks.
Dimensions: 8.3-9.1 inches (21-23 cm) in length
Weight: 1.5-1.7 ounces (42-48 g)
Wingspan: 9.8-12.2 inches (25-31 cm)
Northern Cardinals are predominantly found in the eastern and southern regions of the United States. During the breeding season, they occasionally engage in confrontations with their reflections, as they fiercely protect their territories.
To attract more Northern Cardinals to your backyard feeders, consider providing sunflower seeds, peanut hearts, millet, or milo. These avian creatures are inclined to feed from large tube feeders, hoppers, platform feeders, or scattered food on the ground.
2. House Finch
House Finches, while introduced to Ontario, have established a year-round presence, predominantly in Toronto.
The males of this species exhibit red heads and breasts, while the females possess brown-streaked plumage.
Dimensions: 5.1-5.5 inches (13-14 cm) in length
Weight: 0.6-0.9 ounces (16-27 g)
Wingspan: 7.9-9.8 inches (20-25 cm)
Initially limited to western states, House Finches have successfully expanded their range to include eastern states, even outcompeting the Purple Finch.
These finches can be found in parks, farms, forest edges, and backyard feeders. Their tendency to congregate in noisy groups renders them difficult to overlook.
To attract more House Finches to your backyard feeders, provide them with black oil sunflower seeds or nyjer seeds through tube or platform feeders.
3. Purple Finch
Purple Finches are prevalent throughout Ontario, particularly during the summer months.
Resembling the House Finch in appearance, Purple Finches exhibit reddish-purple heads and breasts, with a greater prevalence of brown hues on their backs and wings.
Dimensions: 4.7-6.3 inches (12-16 cm) in length
Weight: 0.6-1.1 ounces (18-32 g)
Wingspan: 8.7-10.2 inches (22-26 cm)
While breeding in Canada and overwintering in eastern states, Purple Finches can be encountered year-round in the northeastern region and the Pacific coast.
Spot them within evergreen forests as they feed on seeds, buds, nectar, and berries.
To entice Purple Finches to your vicinity, offer black oil sunflower seeds through feeders.
4. Common Redpoll
Common Redpolls are permanent residents of Ontario, although they are most frequently observed during the winter season.
Featuring red foreheads, pinkish breasts, and brown and white plumage elsewhere, Common Redpolls showcase distinctive physical characteristics.
Scientific name: Acanthis flammea
Dimensions: 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm) in length
Weight: 0.4-0.7 ounces (11-20 g)
Wingspan: 7.5-8.7 inches (19-22 cm)
During winter, these birds can be found in northern states, albeit less commonly in central states. To stave off the cold, they occasionally burrow into the snow, relying on a stretchy segment of their esophagus to store up to 2 grams of seeds, equivalent to 42% of their body mass.
Common Redpolls can be spotted in weedy fields or feeding on catkins in trees. Alternatively, they may be enticed to feeders with small seeds such as nyjer or thistle.
5. Scarlet Tanager
During the summer season, Scarlet Tanagers are frequently sighted in the southern region of Ontario.
These vividly red birds possess black wings and tails. Females exhibit yellow plumage with darker wings and tails.
Scientific name: Piranga olivacea
Dimensions: 6.3-6.7 inches (16-17 cm) in length
Weight: 0.8-1.3 ounces (23-38 g)
Wingspan: 9.8-11.4 inches (25-29 cm)
They breed in the eastern forests during summer before migrating to South America.
Scarlet Tanagers tend to dwell high in the forest canopy, often making them challenging to spot.
To attract more Scarlet Tanagers, consider cultivating berry plants such as blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, juneberries, serviceberries, mulberries, strawberries, and chokeberries.
6. Pine Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeaks can be observed throughout the year in Ontario, particularly from November to March.
Belonging to the finch family, these birds boast red males with gray wings, tails, and two white wingbars. Females possess gray plumage with dull orange heads and rumps. In comparison to other finches, they exhibit larger size and relatively slow movements.
Scientific name: Pinicola enucleator
Dimensions: 7.9-9.8 inches (20-25 cm) in length
Wingspan: 13.0 inches (33 cm)
While predominantly found in Canada, some Pine Grosbeaks can be spotted along the US border, in mountainous western regions, and the Sierra Nevada of California.
They inhabit forests comprised of pine, spruce, and fir, sustaining themselves with seeds, fruit, buds, and occasional insects during the summer.
To attract Pine Grosbeaks, provide black oil sunflower seeds or suet through feeders.
7. White-winged Crossbill
While not abundantly prevalent, the White-winged Crossbill serves as another captivating red bird sighted throughout the year in Ontario.
Distinguished by their robust crossed beaks, male White-winged Crossbills exhibit red plumage, accompanied by black wings, tails, and two white wingbars. Females, on the other hand, possess yellow and brown hues, complemented by two white wingbars.
Scientific name: Loxia leucoptera
Dimensions: 5.9-6.7 inches (15-17 cm) in length
Weight: 0.8-0.9 ounces (24-26 g)
Wingspan: 10.2-11.0 inches (26-28 cm)
White-winged Crossbills inhabit forests in Canada, Alaska, and occasionally northern US states when cone crops are scarce. Within spruce forests, they feed primarily on seeds.
Remarkably, these birds breed throughout the year as long as food resources are abundant.
Their presence is often accompanied by distinctive flock calls.
8. Red Crossbill
Red Crossbills are not abundantly found in Ontario; nevertheless, they can be encountered throughout the year.
Males of this species exhibit red plumage with darker wings and tails, while females possess yellow and brown hues.
Red Crossbills can be found year-round in northern and western US states, with a winter presence in eastern states.
Feeding primarily on conifer seeds, they traverse between trees in flocks, utilizing their powerful beaks to pry open unopened cones. Furthermore, they can be spotted consuming grit along roadsides during mornings.
9. Summer Tanager
Summer Tanagers are considered accidental or rare species in Ontario, yet they can be sighted, particularly in Toronto.
Males of this species present themselves as bright red birds, while females exhibit yellow plumage.
Scientific name: Piranga rubra
Length: 6.7 inches (17 cm)
Weight: 1.1 ounces (30 g)
Summer Tanagers breed in southern and eastern US states before embarking on their winter migration to Central and South America.
Forest-dwelling songbirds, they navigate open woodlands while feeding on bees and wasps mid-flight. To consume their prey, they employ a technique involving striking the insects against branches to neutralize their stingers before consumption.
To attract more Summer Tanagers to your backyard, consider cultivating berry bushes and fruit trees.
10. Painted Bunting
Painted Buntings are accidental species in Ontario; however, they have been observed in Algonquin Provincial Park.
Male Painted Buntings showcase a vibrant patchwork of colors, predominantly red underneath, complemented by bright blue heads, green wings, and backs. Females exhibit vivid yellow-green plumage.
Scientific name: Passerina ciris
Dimensions: 4.7-5.1 inches (12-13 cm) in length
Weight: 0.5-0.7 ounces (13-19 g)
Painted Buntings breed in select states within the south-central and southeastern regions of the US. They migrate during the night to Central America, southern Florida, and certain Caribbean islands.
These birds primarily inhabit semi-open habitats, where they forage for seeds and insects during the breeding season.
To attract Painted Buntings, consider incorporating low, dense vegetation and feeders filled with white millet or black oil sunflower seeds.
11. Pyrrhuloxia
Pyrrhuloxias are classified as accidental species in Ontario, with records indicating only seven sightings along Graham Road in West Elgin.
Male Pyrrhuloxias exhibit gray plumage, while their faces, crests, breasts, and tails bear prominent red coloring. Females possess dull gray hues with less red pigmentation.
Scientific name: Cardinalis sinuatus
Length: 8.3 inches (21 cm)
Weight: 0.8-1.5 ounces (24-43 g)
Pyrrhuloxias primarily inhabit hot desert regions in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico.
While they fiercely defend their territories during the breeding season, they form flocks of up to 1000 individuals during winter.
Feeding predominantly on seeds, they are often found near feeders where sunflower seeds are scattered on the ground.
12. Cassin’s Finch
Cassin’s Finches are accidental species in Ontario, observed only twice and considered extremely rare.
Cassin’s Finches exhibit red crowns, rosy pink heads, red breasts, whiteish bellies, and brown backs and wings.
Dimensions: 6.3 inches (16 cm) in length
Weight: 0.8-1.2 ounces (24-34 g)
Wingspan: 9.8-10.6 inches (25-27 cm)
These finches primarily inhabit mountain forests in western US states, foraging in flocks for seeds.
While not as commonly found in backyards as House or Purple Finches, they may be attracted by sunflower seed feeders, especially during winter. Additionally, fruiting shrubs such as cotoneaster, mulberries, firethorn, grape, and apple can entice their presence.
Frequency of Red Bird Sightings in Ontario during Summer and Winter
Checklists available for the state serve as valuable resources to determine the most commonly spotted birds. These checklists provide insight into the prevalence of red bird species observed in Ontario during summer and winter, as recorded on eBird.
Common Red Birds in Ontario during Summer:
– Northern Cardinal: 34.1%
– House Finch: 8.9%
– Scarlet Tanager: 6.2%
– Purple Finch: 6.0%
– White-winged Crossbill: 0.3%
– Common Redpoll: 0.2%
– Summer Tanager: 0.2%
– Red Crossbill: 0.2%
– Painted Bunting: <0.1%
– Pine Grosbeak: <0.1%
– Cassin’s Finch: <0.1%
Common Red Birds in Ontario during Winter:
– Northern Cardinal: 31.2%
– House Finch: 11.4%
– Common Redpoll: 9.0%
– Pine Grosbeak: 3.0%
– Purple Finch: 1.9%
– White-winged Crossbill: 0.9%
– Red Crossbill: 0.5%
– Summer Tanager: <0.1%
– Painted Bunting: <0.1%
– Pyrrhuloxia: <0.1%
– Scarlet Tanager: <0.1%