Hoary Redpoll or?

[hendenhook]

My book says these are rare down in the Twin Cities is it a Hoary Redpoll or some kind of sparrow. this is the first time one has showed up in my backyard.

[Steve Foss]

HH, looks like a common redpoll to me. There are other field marks, but the length/thickness of the bill alone separates it from the hoary, which has a short, stubby bill. A very pretty female common redpoll in this case, is my guess.

[Jim Almquist]

Because of the streaks on the chest that are very broad instead of fine it is a Common Redpoll not a Hoary.

[Jim Almquist]

I should have added that I am surprised to see them that far south considering that they showed up around Carlton in the last 2 weeks. Always cool to have a new bird in town.

[hendenhook]

Thanks Jim and Steve, I knew you guys would know, my book shows the Common as having some reddish streaks on the breast and that's why I wasn't sure. Sounds like the Common doesn't get down here all that often either.

[Steve Foss]

HH, both species get down there in winter, the common more frequently than the hoary.

They both nest in northern Canada and Alaska, the hoary more northerly and less widespread than the common. In winter they both tend to range south into the northern U.S. The common tends to move farther south than the hoary.

Hoaries are far less common than commons, but you'll see a few singles mixed in with larger flocks of commons occasionally in winter.

This appears to be a good year for winter repolls.

[Jim Almquist]

HH You should pick up a Sibley guide. I was always wondering what the heck I was looking at and with the guide you pretty much can ID most all birds except the hawks but if you have pics it makes it so much easier. You will have to watch out cause it can be come addictive but in a good way-It will get you outdoors more

[Borealhunter]

Hoary Redpoll: Basically frosty white on the upper parts (back/secondaries and edges of primaries); White rump that is unstreaked that goes up the back some; Head is very short and neckless in appearance; bill is shorter vs. Hoary and has a punched in look to it. The flanks of a Hoary have 1-2 very fine gray streaks and the undertail should be clean white with no streaking.

Common Redpoll: Browner bird with very little white edging to wings; flanks have a buffy yellow color with several heavy dark streaks, rump is white with many streaks, bill is longer, head is smaller and looks to have more of a neck to it, undertail has 1-3 streaks.

Male Common Redpolls that are red on the sides of breast and upper breast is a very strong smudge red while Hoary Redpoll have a blushed on red as if someone took a powder bag and slighty blushed the breast with red.

There are a few gradients of the Hoary Redpolls where you need to pick at each identification mark to make sure you have a Hoary Redpoll. For example female Hoary's can look like immature Common Redpolls. The above identification of the Hoary Redpoll are the straight forward Hoary's which birders call "Classic" Hoary Redpoll that clearly show all the field marks.

Also redpolls when they are perched in trees with the sun on them give you the illusion they are all Hoary Redpolls because they lit up in the sun rays but as soon as they come down to lower levels like on the ground or eye level they darken up. So be careful about identifying Hoary Redpolls when they are in the sun and high up. I normally wait for them to come down to eye level to make I was not fooled by the washed out appearance they can have in the bright sun.

Also Redpolls are easily "pished" in if you make a "pishing" like sound with your mouth. Also Crossbills can easily be brought down from the high levels of spruce trees. I have many times had redpolls to crossbills flying about overhead and I pished loudly and they dropped down from the sky right above and lit on some bushes to see who is making that noise. Try it.

Common Redpolls for the most part are very casual in the Twin Cities and occasionally are reported down there during good years. The farther south you travel the harder is to find Redpolls. A Common Redpoll in Missouri is bird worth reporting on the RBA listservs.

There are plenty of Hoary Redpolls around especially in northern Minnesota and Steve is right on about the ranges of the Hoary Redpoll. There is another sub species called "Hornemann's race" which is extremely frosty and some what more chunkier than the "classic" Hoary Redpoll. I only seen 3-4 of these races in my life. The Hornemann's race is from Greenland area.

When I was in Churchill on their nesting grounds, redpolls are more skittish versus in their wintering areas like northern Minnesota.

Another good field guide is the National Geographic Field Guide which was the most popular field guide until Sibley's Field Guide was produced but the draw back on Sibley's is that its a much large field guide and heavier if you bring it out in the field.

Mike

[Dotch]

Thanks for the extensive and fascinating info Mike. We've seen the first common redpolls here this winter since what was likely the winter of '91 - '92. Bugtussle is about 30 miles from the IA state line and our farmstead is not all that well sheltered.

[micpic]

Nice image HH. What a great tutorial from Boreal. I use the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide, but it's to big to take along. I'm going to take a look at the National Geographic Guide. Thanks

Mic