Hoary or Common redpoll? - Sax-Zim Bog, MN (1 Viewer)

[esrpiano]

I saw this bird among a large flock of Common Redpolls today at 11:30am visiting feeders in the Sax-Zim Bog in Minnesota (specifically at the entrance of the Bob Russell Memorial Boardwalk).

Can anyone help me distinguish if this is a particularly pale Common, or could it be a Hoary? 1-2 Hoarys have been Ebird reported almost daily at this spot for the past few weeks and another birder reported one at the same location while I was photographing, but I'm still unsure and not sold from these pictures....

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[KC Foggin]

I may be wrong but I'm going with all Hoary Redpolls.

 

[Lisa W]

I’ve never seen one, but based on photos I would also say Hoary Redpoll

 

[CARERY]

You might find this link interesting, it seems to be a remarkable influx this winter in North America:

The Redpoll Complex: Redpolls, redpolls, redpolls.......and the usual cautionary tales. - FINCH RESEARCH NETWORK

By Matthew A. Young: One of the things we, the Finch Research Network (FiRN), plan to do for the birding and ornithological communities, is to help with tough finch identifications, and there’s perhaps no tougher Read More

finchnetwork.org

 

[THE_FERN]

You might find this link interesting, it seems to be a remarkable influx this winter in North America:

The Redpoll Complex: Redpolls, redpolls, redpolls.......and the usual cautionary tales. - FINCH RESEARCH NETWORK

By Matthew A. Young: One of the things we, the Finch Research Network (FiRN), plan to do for the birding and ornithological communities, is to help with tough finch identifications, and there’s perhaps no tougher Read More

finchnetwork.org

Thanks for this. The images there underline the overlaps in the appearance of the various forms for me. It makes the finding that there's little genetic difference between them less surprising.

 

[raymie]

A nice adult male Hoary Redpoll.

 

[esrpiano]

Thank you all so much for the assistance and article! I greatly appreciate it!!

 

[wolfbirder]

Never seen a Common like that, very nice Hoary.