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Common Redpoll
(Carduelis [Acanthis] flammea)
: "Redpoll"
 German name(s): "Birkenzeisig", "Leinfink"
Size: 11.5-14 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
Common Redpolls are small finches. Their
plumage is
highly cryptic and
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are different.
The bill of
male
Common Redpolls is surrounded by a small dark ring, above
which they have a red forehead, and below which their chest
is red. 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 down to the
rump, is heavily streaked
grey. Also the belly and the flanks are grey with heavy
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 wings have a prominent white wing bar.
Females
look similar to males, but lack the red chest. Instead, they
have brownish 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
Common Redpolls resemble
females.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Common
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, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Common Redpoll is available
HERE
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Common Redpolls are a partly migratory, partly sedentary species.
Depending on whether one includes the Lesser Redpoll as a race,
there are 3 or 4 races. Taken altogether, they have a circumpolar
distribution around the northern hemisphere, populating all the
northern continents and islands in between.
Nominate race
"flammea"
was the most widespread distribution. In the southern part of their
range they are sedentary; in the North - roughly inside the Arctic
circle - they are summer breeding migrants.
Race "icelandica", Icelandic Redpoll, is found only on Iceland,
while race "rostrata" exists on Greenland and Baffin Island.
There is also an introduced population in New Zealand.
In Europe only Common Redpolls of the nominate race
"flammea" are found. They are sedentary in large
parts of the British Isles, Denmark, the western
coastal areas of Sweden and much of central and
northern Scandinavia, except the northern-most
mountainous regions. This zone of permanent residency
extends eastward from southern Finland into European
Russia.
In addition, there are also sedentary Common Redpolls
in the Alps and also some of the central European low
mountain ranges and, surprisingly, also in the Benelux
countries down to sea level.
In the northern-most mountainous parts of Scandinavia
and in north-western European Russia, except for the
farthest coastal strip, they are breeding migrants.
The winter quarters of the migratory population extend
from central France in the West and the Po valley in the
South to basically anywhere to the North of a line
connecting the Alps, the Danube Delta, the Black Sea
and the Caucasus mountain range.
During the breeding season Common Redpolls have a preference
for beech forest, but also coniferous forest (in particular
young conifers, often larch-dominated areas) and deciduous
copses, often with shrubs.
Outside the breeding season Common Redpolls are very
mobile and flexible in their choice of habitat.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "flammea"
M. Eaton reports spotting Common Redpolls, nominate race
"flammea", 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 "flammea"
This race is also called the "Mealy Redpoll".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Frontal view of a male Common Redpoll
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Lateral view of a male Common Redpoll looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]
Lateral view of a male Common Redpoll; at this angle the red chest
is basically invisible (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
