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Arctic Redpoll
Acanthis hornemanni
Identify the Arctic Redpoll by sound or photo and log your sightings with Birdpass.
The Arctic Redpoll is the high-Arctic form of the redpoll complex, a small finch with a red forehead patch, black bib and streaked plumage that looks paler and frostier than other redpolls. It breeds on the tundra of the far north and moves south in winter in search of seeds, sometimes appearing well below the Arctic. It is now often treated within the widespread redpoll species, because the forms differ only slightly and blend into each other.
Did you know?
- Once treated as a separate species, the Arctic Redpoll is often lumped with other redpolls because of small genetic differences and continuous variation in appearance.
- Its nest is snugly lined with feathers, down and hair – vital insulation in the Arctic.
About the species
Identification
A pale, frosty redpoll with a small red forehead patch, black bib and a short, stubby bill. The rump and undertail coverts are white and largely unstreaked, and the flanks are only finely streaked. Males have at most a faint pink wash on the breast. Told from Common Redpoll by its paler overall look, unstreaked white rump and cleaner undertail.
Family
Fringillidae
Size
Small (sparrow)
Colours
white, red, grey, brown, black
About the habitat
Low Arctic tundra with dwarf birch and willow; in winter it frequents northern woodland and scrub with birch and alder.
Diet
Mostly very small seeds, especially of birch and alder in winter; in the breeding season it also takes some invertebrates. It forages mainly in trees but will feed on the ground.
Behaviour
A partial migrant that moves south in late autumn and north again in spring, often in active flocks, frequently mixed with Common Redpolls. The female builds a well-insulated nest low in a tree or bush, and both parents care for the young.
Sources
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carduelis hornemanni CT3.jpg
Text: Wikipedia (English), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_redpoll
