We've had a flock of Common Redpolls hanging out at the nature center for months now but we've kept an eye out for Hoary Redpolls mixed in. Sure enough, look who showed up this morning!

So how do we know this is a Hoary Redpoll and not a Common Redpoll? There are a number of characteristics. First off, let's look at the poll. That's the red spot on the head. It is smaller than the red spot on a Common Redpoll. We can see some other features in the shot above as well. The flanks of the bird are only very lightly streaked. On a Common Redpoll the stripes would be darker and solid. The third characteristic to notice is that there is only a faint pinkish wash on the breast. The red on the breast of a male Common Redpoll is much much brighter. Compare all of these feature with this handsome male Common Redpoll. This is actually a light Common Redpoll, the red can be much brighter on the breast.



It was fun to have a visitor from the arctic here on such a snowy day. I though I'd also throw in this photo of a Pine Sisken who showed up. You can tell it is cold out as he is really fluffed up!

Now then, the kicker to the story. I wanted to find a photo of a Common Redpoll to show and I remembered that I had taken a photo and posted to my old blog back in January when the redpolls first showed up. I went back to pull that photo and to my great embarrassment . . . it is a Hoary Redpoll! So, I guess I had seen one back in January and didn't look close enough. Oh well. Here's the photo
~Kirk
1 comments:
Nice job Kirk and Paul!! I look forward to future blog entries. Another tip passed on by a top knot(ch) birder. (Sorry I couldn't pass that one up!)
If you see a flock of redpolls feeding out in a fallow field, glass the perimeter of the flock. Hoary redpolls usually do not mingle in the primary flock and if present will likely be along the outside edge of the birds.
cheers,
Tom Anderson
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