COMMON REDPOLL
(Carduelis flammea)
Winder, Barrow Co., GA
photos by Jim Flynn
| Click on any image to zoom in.  Common Redpoll
|
On Wednesday, 11 March 1998, a call came into the Georgia
Statewide Rare Bird Alert from a casual backyard birdwatcher that a Common
Redpoll had been coming to his feeder in the morning. Naturally,
with reports of species as rare as this during a non-invasion year, caution
must be exercised to determine plausibility based on the observer's description
of the bird. But when the reporter claims to have a finch-like bird coming to his feeder with a red cap, yellow bill and black chin, there is little left to doubt about the observer's conclusion...a Common Redpoll. This particular bird, a female, based on the lack of rosy wash on the breast and somewhat heavily striped flanks (also separating this species from Hoary Redpoll) was first observed by John Dalton, who subsequently welcomed anyone who wished to see the bird to his residence. Common Redpolls are listed as an "accidental winter visitor" in the Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds (Haney, et. al., 1986), with only five accepted records listed, and I believe there has only been one record since its publication. This Common Redpoll was observed by most area birders for the next three days until Saturday, 14 March 1998. Also of interest, four other species of finch could be observed at these feeders-Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, and House Finch. Five species of finch in one yard in Georgia is quite a feat. |
Reviewed 21 Oct 2000
