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Common Redpoll
last update: Apr 01, 2009 10:17 AM
Latin name: Carduelis flammea
Population: global population is unknown, but there are 97 million individuals in North America
Cites classified: Least Concern
Where found: Circumpolar on the west coast of Greenland, Iceland, from northern Scandinavia across Russia to the Bering Sea, and from Alaska across the northern Canadian mainland
Age/ life expectancy: 2-3 years
Wingspan: 20-25 cm
Length: 11-14 cm
Weight: 11-18 g
Mating/Breeding: Common Redpolls form monogamous pairs. Nests may be placed close together and are well hidden in dense, low shrubs, in clumps of grass, or under brush piles. The female builds an open cup nest of loosely arranged twigs, grass, and moss, lined with ptarmigan feathers, plant down, and hair. The female incubates 4 to 6 eggs for about 11 days. The male brings food to the female while she incubates and while she broods the young. About five days after the young hatch, the female begins to bring food to the nest. She continues to do most of the actual feeding. The young leave the nest 11 to 12 days after hatching. At this point, they can fly weakly and follow the parents around. They are fully independent at about 26 days of age.
Eggs: 4-6 light blue-green eggs, speckled red-brown
Hibernation: partially migratory moving from Eurasia to northern and central Europe, from Asian Russia to southeastern China and Japan, and from northern Canada and Alaska to southern Canada and the northern US in winter
Hunting Habits: forages on the ground or in trees and shrubs
Feed on: seeds mainly, but also flower buds and invertebrates in summer
Predators: raptors prey on adults while arctic foxes and wolves prey on the eggs and young
Colour/Body: The male is heavily streaked and has a small, red crown and pink breast. The female is duller than the male and lacks the pink breast, but does have the same red 'poll' as the male.
Interesting Trivia:
- Redpolls have throat pouches for temporarily storing seeds. They may fill their pouches with seeds quickly then fly away to swallow the seeds in a more protected, warmer spot.
