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Bird name:

Common Redpoll

Carduelis flammea

Order

PASSERIFORMES

Family

Finches (Fringillidae)

Code 4

CORE

Code 6

CARFLA

ITIS

179230

ILLUSTRATION

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PHOTOS

CONSERVATION STATUS

Least-Concern

The Common Redpoll is a small finch that breeds in Alaska, Quebec, British Columbia, Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands. It prefers subarctic climates with coniferous forests and scrubs, and they are typically associated with birch trees. They do not habituate in dense forests. In winter months, they will migrate to California, Oklahoma, North and South Carolina, and have even been found in Eurasia. One Common Redpoll had once been confirmed to migrate 4,000 miles to Norway. Preferred winter habitats include brushy pastures and fields. They are seed eaters and sleep in snow tunnels. The conservation rating of the Common Redpoll is Least Concern.

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SUMMARY

Overview

Common Redpoll: Small finch, brown-streaked gray upperparts, bright rose-pink breast, boldly streaked flanks and undertail coverts. Red cap and black chin. Bill is olive-brown with fine black tip. Wings are dark with two narrow white bars; tail is black and notched. Black legs, feet.


Range and Habitat

Common Redpoll: Breeds from Alaska and northern Quebec, south to British Columbia, Newfoundland, and Magdalen Islands. Spends winters irregularly south to California, Oklahoma, and the Carolinas; also found in Eurasia. Inhabits open subarctic areas, largely coniferous forests and scrub; avoids dense forests. Winters on brushy pastures, open thickets, and weedy fields.

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SONGS AND CALLS

Listen to Call

Common Redpoll

Voice Text

"chit-chit-chit-chit", "swe-ee-et"

INTERESTING FACTS

  • During the long Arctic night, redpolls sleep in snow tunnels to preserve body heat.
  • Although not considered a migratory bird, one of these birds, bearing a band with Chinese markings, was captured in Norway, having traveled over 4000 miles.
  • Several Redpolls have been seen on a twig feeding each other by passing a seed from bill to bill.
  • A group of redpolls are collectively known as a "gallup" of redpolls.

RELATED BIRDS

RANGE MAP

Range Map for Common Redpoll

TERMINOLOGY

CREDITS

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Samira Belous

BIRD PHOTO SHARING

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY AND CAMERAS

BINOCULARS AND OPTICS FOR BIRDING

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Undertail covertsX
Small feathers that cover the areas where the retrices (tail feathers) attach to the rump.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
CapX
The area on top of the head of the bird.
ChinX
The area of the face just below the bill.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX