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Arctic Redpoll
(Carduelis [Acanthis] hornemanni)
: "Hoary Redpoll"
 German name(s): "Polar-Birkenzeisig"
Size: 12-14 cm
Weight: 12-16 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Arctic Redpolls are small finches. Their
plumage is
highly cryptic and
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are different.
The bill of a
male
Arctic Redpolls is surrounded by a small dark ring, above
which they have a red forehead, and below which their chest
is pale-pink. They have prominent white supercilia above narrow
black eye-stripes. The rest of the head, together with the
ear coverts, the nape of the neck and the back, is heavily streaked
grey. Also the belly is grey; the flanks are also grey, but with
fine darker streaking. Part of the upperwing coverts are brown,
streaked with dark-grey, whereas the rest of the wings and
the tail are plain dark-grey, with very thin white edge-lining.
The rump has the same pale-pink colour as the chest.
The wings have a prominent white wing bar.
Females
look similar to males, but lack the pale-pink chest. Instead,
they have greyish streaked flanks. Their supercilia are less
prominent than those of
males.
The irises of both sexes are dark-brown. The bill is yellowish,
while legs and feet are dark-grey.
First-winter
Arctic Redpolls resemble
females.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Arctic
Redpoll at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the Arctic Redpoll is available
HERE
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There are 2 races of Arctic Redpolls, which are a partly migratory,
partly sedentary species.
Their overall distribution is circumpolar around the North Pole.
Their breeding range is largely restricted to within the Polar circle.
In winter part of the population migrates southward to ca. 50 degrees
latitude in Europe and farther South yet on the North American continent.
Nominate race "hornemanni" resides only on Greenland and neighbouring
parts of north-eastern Canada.
Race "exilipes"
was the most widespread distribution. It is found in northern Eurasia
and the remainder of the North-American tundra.
In Europe only Arctic Redpolls of race
"exilipes" are found.
They are sedentary only along the northern coastal fringe
of Scandinavia and north-western European Russia.
Their wintering range comprises basically all of the rest
of Scandinavia, except the Finnish lake districts.
A smaller part of the migratory population can reach
an area of roughly semi-circular shape centred on the
southern Baltic Sea, ranging from Moscow, Russia, in
the East, via the Baltic states and Poland, with the
exception of northern Germany, towards the Benelux
countries, the eastern parts of England and Scotland
and the Hebrides.
During the breeding season Arctic Redpolls have a preference
for beech forest and willows, but they also breed in tundra
and upland heath.
The range and habits of migratory Arctic Redpoll, including
preferences for certain types of habitats, outside the breeding
season are not well known.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "exilipes"
M. Eaton reports spotting an Arctic Redpoll, race
"exilipes",
at Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.
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Photos |
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Race "exilipes"
This race is also called "Coues's Arctic Redpoll".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Near-frontal view of a male Arctic Redpoll - the normally pale-pink
front is worn and only a small patch of pink remains on
the cheek; note that the structured appearance of the bird's
plumage is
caused by shaking after preening and is not striation
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
