A few days ago, an unusual bird showed up in my backyard. I could tell immediately from its size, shape, and plumage that it was a small finch. Overall, it was a fairly plain bird, with plenty of brown stripes and a noticeable white wing bars, not far different from a Pine Siskin. But, whenever the bird turned its head in my direction, it revealed a bright, slightly iridescent red patch just above its eyes. It could only be one thing: a Common Redpoll!
The name is a bit of a misnomer. Sure, if you live in a mountain valley in Alaska or northern Canada, you might see Redpolls as frequently as Chipping Sparrows. But in Montana, these birds only show up sporadically in the winter. A member of the "winter finch" clan, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes Common Redpolls as "erratic" migrators, sometimes ending up in places as unusual Arkansas or New Jersey. In irruption years (which this year is certainly shaping up to be), Common Redpolls, along with a variety of other finches and sparrows (and birds of prey - who can forget last year's Snowy Owl surprise?!) move far south of what would be considered their typical range, driven by a scarcity of food.
Year-round, redpolls are incredibly social birds, sometimes found in flocks of 300 individuals. Even during breeding season, it is not uncommon for multiple pairs of redpolls to nest fairly close together and show a lack of territoriality. Redpolls feed almost exclusively on seeds, and hence, are likely to show up where there is a bird feeder. To increase your chances of attracting a redpoll to your backyard, tempt these birds with thistle or nyjer seeds.
Have you seen a Common Redpoll or any other surprising visitors this winter? Be sure to let us know if you do!
The name is a bit of a misnomer. Sure, if you live in a mountain valley in Alaska or northern Canada, you might see Redpolls as frequently as Chipping Sparrows. But in Montana, these birds only show up sporadically in the winter. A member of the "winter finch" clan, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes Common Redpolls as "erratic" migrators, sometimes ending up in places as unusual Arkansas or New Jersey. In irruption years (which this year is certainly shaping up to be), Common Redpolls, along with a variety of other finches and sparrows (and birds of prey - who can forget last year's Snowy Owl surprise?!) move far south of what would be considered their typical range, driven by a scarcity of food.
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| A Common Redpoll in winter plumage. |
Year-round, redpolls are incredibly social birds, sometimes found in flocks of 300 individuals. Even during breeding season, it is not uncommon for multiple pairs of redpolls to nest fairly close together and show a lack of territoriality. Redpolls feed almost exclusively on seeds, and hence, are likely to show up where there is a bird feeder. To increase your chances of attracting a redpoll to your backyard, tempt these birds with thistle or nyjer seeds.
Have you seen a Common Redpoll or any other surprising visitors this winter? Be sure to let us know if you do!
We saw a flock of about 20 at Georgetown Lake a week or so ago, though they had more rosiness on their flanks than this one does. When I looked at my bird guides to see if they were Common or Hoary Redpolls I found out that Hoaries are rare, but almost always found mixed in with their Common cousins. Wish I had scanned each bird more closely for the field marks for a Hoary.
ReplyDeleteI've a flock of 20 or so that have been in my yard for 2 weeks+. I live on the Northside of Missoula.
ReplyDeleteI have a flock of about 30 Redpolls that arrived at my seed feeder today. I live in Saugerties, NY
ReplyDeleteI live south of Laurel MT and we have had a flock of common redpolls daily since before Christmas at my feeders.. 50-100 of them depending on how cold it is.
ReplyDeleteI just spent the weekend in Warren, northern VT. A small flock of Common Redpolls (5-10)have been regular visitors at the nyger seed feeder at my relatives' house. This is the first year they have sighted Common Redpolls in the area.
ReplyDeleteI visited the Chicago Botanic Garden today and took some great photos of the Common Redpolls. It's hard to estimate the number of the flock but I would guess there were about 30. Through your blog I was able to identify
ReplyDeletethe birds. They look so much like a sparrow, but the red patch on the head made me investigate further. It's the first time that I really noticed them here.
Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing your observations! It's wonderful to hear accounts from bird watchers across the US--please keep sharing!
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