How many redpoll species exist?


This video from England says about itself:

Arctic Redpoll – Aldeburgh, Suffolk, 13 December 2012

16 December 2012

As a species, Arctic Redpoll is no longer considered an official rarity in Britain. However, that’s only because the subspecies exilipes (Coues’s Arctic Redpoll) has occurred in increasing numbers in recent years – including in some notable influxes.

The nominate form hornemanni (Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll), from Greenland and adjacent Canada, remains a true rarity and is still treated as such (just 90 records by the end of 2011). Mainland occurrences of Hornemann’s in Britain have been non-existent, or almost so, until 2012; after an earlier belatedly identified bird in Norfolk in the autumn, this individual in Suffolk found its way onto many lists, including mine. Filmed in HD using a Canon EOS 7D with EF 500 mm F4 lens and 1.4x extender. Thanks to Ed for his help with the editing of this clip.

This video from England says about itself:

Coues’s Arctic Redpoll, Hazlewood Common, Suffolk, November 2017. It comes into focus after a few seconds!

Another video used to say about itself:

Coues’ Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni exilipes) HD

20 February 2012

The Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni), known in North America as the Hoary Redpoll, is a bird species in the finch family Fringillidae. It breeds in tundra birch forest. It has two subspecies, C. h. hornemanni (Greenland or Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll) of Greenland and neighbouring parts of Canada, and C. h. exilipes (Coues’s Arctic Redpoll), which breeds in the tundra of northern North America and Eurasia. Many birds remain in the far north; some birds migrate short distances south in winter, sometimes travelling with Common Redpolls.

The Greenland race is a very large and pale bird, with the male sometimes described as a “snowball”, but both forms are pale with small beaks, white rumps and often more yellow than grey-brown tones in their plumage. The females are more streaked on their breasts, sides and rumps, but are still pale.

The binomial commemorates the Danish botanist Jens Wilken Hornemann.

The phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al.

From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the USA:

How Many Species of Redpolls Are There, Anyway?

Redpolls are tiny, incredibly hardy arctic finches. For most of us, they are longed-for visitors that show up at feeders every few years. When they do, there’s always the hope of finding a pale Hoary Redpoll among the brown, streaky Common Redpolls. But a new look at these birds’ DNA could change all that. Despite differing appearances, they are genetically almost identical. How can that be? Read the full story here.

22 thoughts on “How many redpoll species exist?

  1. Pingback: Sagebrush birds and mammals of North America | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  2. Pingback: Western tanager drinks at stream, video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  3. Pingback: American western grebes in love, video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  4. Pingback: Scissor-tailed flycatcher video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  5. Pingback: Say’s phoebe video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  6. Pingback: Ring-necked ducks video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  7. Pingback: Helping birds in winter | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  8. Pingback: North American birds in colouring book, vote | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  9. Pingback: Vesper sparrow sings, video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  10. Pingback: Black-legged kittiwakes bathing, video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  11. Pingback: Bird migration in the Americas, Internet map | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  12. Pingback: White-throated sparrows, new study | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  13. Pingback: American goldfinches video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  14. Pingback: Canadian birds at feeders, videos | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  15. Pingback: Mealy redpoll video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  16. Pingback: Purple finches in Canada | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  17. Pingback: Raven and redpolls in Canada | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  18. Pingback: Many birds at Ontario, Canada feeders | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  19. Pingback: Mistle thrush eats rowan berries, video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  20. Pingback: Arctic redpoll video | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  21. Pingback: Ontario, Canada bird feeder webcam is back | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  22. Pingback: Common redpolls, big flock | Dear Kitty. Some blog

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.