• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Mealy Redpoll = Lesser Redpoll (1 Viewer)

RockyRacoon

Well-known member
Is Mealy Redpoll the same species as a Lesser Redpoll, the same species different name I mean. Because a book I have has the Common Redpoll, a winter visitor and the Lesser Redpoll, the largely resident seperate species. (Lesser Redpoll is mainly a brown to the Common Redpoll a white) And also out of interest what are the links of Arctic Redpoll in this.
 
Mealy Redpoll = Common Redpoll and is a different species (currently) from Lesser Redpoll...

Though once again the status of Redpoll taxa is under review again!
 
Jane Turner said:
Mealy Redpoll = Common Redpoll and is a different species (currently) from Lesser Redpoll...

Though once again the status of Redpoll taxa is under review again!
Is that by the BOU, Jane? Sure I've asked this before, but I've got a memory like a...(What are those things you use for grading flour?)
 
Bluetail said:
Is that by the BOU, Jane? Sure I've asked this before, but I've got a memory like a...(What are those things you use for grading flour?)
Yes. (I know I'm not Jane!)
 
Here are the species as listed in three lists:

According the Clement's list:
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret
Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

According the Sibley-Monroe list:
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni
(no Lesser Redpoll which is thus considered a subspecies of Common Redpoll)

According the BOU list:
Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret
Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

So, make your pick! :h?:

Peter
 
I have to post a revision about my previous message: there is a later update to the Clements list which I had missed.

In the December 31, 2000 update, the Common Redpoll / Carduelis flammea was split into Common Redpoll / Carduelis flammea and Lesser Redpoll / Carduelis cabaret. Carduelis flammea included the subspecies C.f. flammea, rostrata and islandica. This was the situation as I described in my previous post.

However, in the December 15, 2003 update, the Common Redpoll and Lesser Redpoll were lumped again, so the latest situation on the Clements list is:
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea (including subspecies flammea, cabaret, rostrata and islandica)
Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni

So the Clements and the Sibley-Monroe lists are in agreement here.

Peter
 
Hi Jake and Peter,

Problem with the latest edition of Clements is that it selectively cited just one a single research paper into just Mealy (Common) and Lesser, without considering all redpolls in the wider context.

Until all redpolls are studied comparitively, it is very unscientific to say two analysed are conspecific, while others not analysed are not conspecific.

Michael
 
Hi,

While we are on the subject does anybody have any info of breeding occurrences (in Scotland) of flammea.

JP
 
Last edited:
Hi JP,


jpoyner said:
While we are on the subject does anybody have any info of breeding occurrences (in Scotland) of flammea.

JP
Pair(s) probably of flammea bred on Orkney in 1975 & 1976. That's the only cases I've read of, but there may be others since.

Michael
 
Warning! This thread is more than 20 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top