Bird Sightings: Common Redpoll

Photograph © Grahame Thompson
Aiginish - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
December, 2003

Grahame is one of two British Ornithological Society ringers on the island, he does the East side. His usual areas are the Castle Grounds and Aiginish, plus a whole heap of other sites depending on time of year and species!

These redpoll notes are a work in progress - if you can add to them or correct them, please help!

There are three species of redpoll, common redpoll, lesser redpoll and Arctic redpoll.
Of the common redpoll there are two distinct populations (one lighter, one darker) united in islandica. WIKI

Species	Sub-species
Common Redpoll Common Redpoll AKA: mealy redpoll or mealies Carduelis flammea flammea Nominate species of common redpoll Most common form found in the Western Isles Found in a broad band across Northern Europe - Scandinavia, Asia, North America. Winter visitor Larger and paler than lesser redpoll. Smaller, browner & more streaked than Arctic redpoll UK400 club splits this as a separate species (i.e. not rostrata - islandica?) See some excellent ID photos of a mealy redpoll
	Greenland Redpoll Also called North Western or greater common redpoll Carduelis flammea rostrata UK400 club splits this as a separate species (includes islandica?) Found in Greenland! On the Bird Forms of Britain and Ireland list Larger, browner than the mealy redpoll
		"North Western" Redpoll Martin Scott sent in a picture of a "North Western" Redpoll taken in the hebrides in 2007. He said: " It "may" be a Greenland Redpoll...but many Greenland's and Iceland's are impossible to separate as there is so much over lap. many birders now refer to Greenland?Iceland birds with the catch all name of "North Western Redpoll"......................
	Icelandic Redpoll Carduelis flammea islandica The Icelandic common redpoll sub-species Very pale Iceland Redpolls apparently look very similar to Arctic Redpolls
Lesser Redpoll Lesser Redpoll Carduelis flammea cabaret Found in Europe Smallest, brownest and most streaked type of redpoll Much richer in colour than the rest On Amber list - estimated 27,000 UK pairs in summer Diet: Forages trees for seeds small seeds, alder, birch, willow, plus invertebrates in summer Excellent article on distinguishing male and female lesser redpolls See some superb comparison notes for common and lesser redpolls with very helpful photographs
Arctic Redpoll Arctic Redpoll Hornemann's Arctic redpoll, Greenland Arctic redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Scarce UK vistor Only 17 UK records annually BTO Very pale large form of the redpoll, light grey with dark-sparce penciling, usually no streaking on rump Diet: Forages trees for seeds small seeds, alder, birch, willow, plus invertebrates in summer Habitat: Tundra, birch scrubland
	Scandinavian Arctic Redpoll AKA: Hoary redpoll, Coues' Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes Sub-species of the Arctic redpoll On the Bird Forms of Britain and Ireland list
	Greenland Arctic Redpoll Hornemann's Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni Sub-species of the Arctic redpoll On the Bird Forms of Britain and Ireland list

See also a photograph of a "North Western" redpoll taken by Martin Scott

thewesternisles.co.uk

Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Carduelis flammea

These redpoll notes are a work in progress - if you can add to them or correct them, please help!

Common Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

Arctic Redpoll