The Red Crossbill in Canada is monitored fairly well by both the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and the Christmas Bird Count (CBC). These surveys provide moderate coverage of the breeding and wintering ranges, but are somewhat compromised in precision and reliability by year-to-year fluctuation caused by the nomadic movement of populations in response to conifer cone availability. Overall, the BBS is likely more reliable because of its greater degree of standardization. 

The national BBS trend shows substantial fluctuations, but an overall increasing trend until the early 1990s and then a declining trend ever since. Current abundance is around the same as in 1970, but down by roughly half from its peak. The only region showing a long-term moderate increase is the Maritimes. The continental CBC trend does not agree with the BBS, showing fluctuations around a relatively stable level from the 1970s to early 2010s, but a sharp increase in more recent years. 

Few quantitative data are available specific to the percna subspecies. It is generally recognized to have once been common in Newfoundland but now relatively rare (COSEWIC, 2016), such that there is high confidence in the population having experienced a large decrease.

The national goal for Red Crossbill is to remain at or above its average population level from 1970 to 2022, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Recent data show that the population is below its goal range.

The goal for the percna subspecies is to increase the population to the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Breeding Bird Survey for Newfoundland. Trend data show that the population is currently below its goal range, but has shown an increase over the past decade. Analysis considering the historical population loss and recent trend suggests that it is unlikely that the goal can be met by 2050, so the interim target is to reach 90% of the goal by 2050. Achieving this target, and ultimately reaching the national goal for this species, will require deliberate conservation action.