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Which Redpoll? (1 Viewer)

DaveB

birding.daveb.co.uk
Meally or Arctic

Images of the Redpoll in question are below.
 

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I agree, Mealy (Common) Redpoll in the first 4 photographs, and the bird on the left in the fifth. Though the other redpoll appears to be a Lesser Redpoll.
 
After looking at several of these "which redpoll is this?" threads recently, I reckon this is a Mealy as well.

Although it's well frosted, the rump isn't clean white, and it doesn't have the classic 'punched in the face' appearance of Arctic. Flanks are relatively heavily streaked as well.
 
I believe that the "views" count is exordinarily high because this initial post was moved from the "Your Local Patch" forum, "Durham Birding" thread, to give it more exposure to those wishing to help with bird identifications.

*The Durham Birding thread does have 15000+ views and, I suspect, this count was transferred with the above post.
 
Cheers Larry, makes sense - although bang goes my idea of making my fortune selling a Redpoll ID book.......
 
Many thanks to Larry for transferring this thread for me and thanks to all, for the confirmation that this is a Mealy and not an Arctic.

I was 98% certain that it was Mealy, but the frostyness of the bird and reviews/images on Arctics were telling me that there was an outside chance of it being Arctic.

thanks to you all and local birders, I now believe the bird is Mealy and it has been recorded as that. Thanks again! :t:
 
It is hard for me to keep all this "redpoll" stuff sorted (maybe it is for some of you also). At any rate here is some information I gleaned from "googling" the internet.
Here in the US we get:

1. Common Redpoll (aka. Mealy Redpoll), Carduelis flammea
2. Hoary Redpoll (aka.Arctic Redpoll), Carduelis hornemanni

The three races of redpoll found in Britian are:



1. *The British race, Lesser Redpoll, Carduelis flammea cabaret
2. In northern Europe, the Common (Mealy) Redpoll, Carduelis flammea flammea
3. In Greenland, the "Greenland" Redpoll, carduelis flammea rostrata
* Lesser Redpoll, C. cabaret is now widely treated as a separate species from Common Redpoll, C. flammea cabaret



Four races of Common Redpoll (aka. Mealy Redpoll) exist:
Carduelis flammea flammea: found across the Arctic, with some to the south in Newfoundland and central Russia. This is the one most frequently found in North America during irruptions.
Carduelis flammea rostrata: found in Greenland, is larger and browner than Carduelis flammea flammea.
Carduelis flammea cabaret: Found in Europe, this is the smallest race of Common Redpoll.
Carduelis flammea islandica: found in Iceland.
There are two supspecies of Hoary Redpoll (aka. Arctic Redpoll)
Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni: the Greenland form, breeds in high Arctic of Greenland and Canada. It is very pale.
Carduelis hornemanni exilpes: this is the southern form and it breeds in Canada, Alaska and Eurasia.


 
Larry Lade said:
[/i][/font]Four races of Common Redpoll (aka. Mealy Redpoll) exist:
Carduelis flammea flammea:[/b] found across the Arctic, with some to the south in Newfoundland and central Russia. This is the one most frequently found in North America during irruptions.
Carduelis flammea rostrata: found in Greenland, is larger and browner than Carduelis flammea flammea.
Carduelis flammea cabaret: Found in Europe, this is the smallest race of Common Redpoll.
Carduelis flammea islandica: found in Iceland.

Larry, almost.... In the above paragraph, you include cabaret as a race of Common Redpoll. Cabaret is Lesser Redpoll (which you had already correctly stated). Hope this helps
 
Fair Islander said:
Larry, almost.... In the above paragraph, you include cabaret as a race of Common Redpoll. Cabaret is Lesser Redpoll (which you had already correctly stated). Hope this helps
In my post I alluded to the statement:

* Lesser Redpoll, C. cabaret is now widely treated as a separate species from Common Redpoll, C. flammea

I suppose some people still consider the Lesser Redpoll, the "Greenland" Redpoll and the "Iceland" Redpoll (C. f. islandica) all to be subspecies of the nominate race of Common Redpoll.
 
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