Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Aves › Passeriformes › Fringillidae › Acanthis
Conservation status: least_concern
The redpoll is a species of small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Acanthis. It breeds in the Arctic and north temperate Holarctic tundra and taiga. The redpoll was formerly widely treated as three species: the common or mealy redpoll, the arctic or hoary redpoll, and the lesser redpoll.
How To Identify
They are small, stocky passerines with a distinct finch silhouette. Males exhibit brilliant reddish-orange plumage contrasting sharply with the duller brown coloration of females.
Habitat
Redpolls inhabit open boreal and subarctic forests, tundra edges, and birch woodlands, preferring areas with abundant small seeds from conifers and birches.
Behaviour
Redpolls are highly gregarious and form tight flocks that perform synchronized, undulating flight patterns while feeding together on seed heads, often hanging acrobatically from branches.
Native Range
The redpoll is native to northern Europe and Asia to northern North America, Greenland and Iceland.
Did You Know?
Redpolls can lower their body temperature at night to conserve energy in harsh winter conditions, entering a state of controlled hypothermia. They also have a specialized pouch in their throat called a crop that allows them to store seeds and feed efficiently.
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