Common redpoll

The common redpoll is a delightful small bird belonging to the finch family. It typically breeds in areas with dense shrubs, just slightly south of the Arctic redpoll's habitat. The renowned naturalist Linnaeus first documented it in 1758 under the name *Fringilla flammea*. Subsequent molecular studies led to its reclassification, first to the genus *Carduelis* and later to *Acanthis*.

Several subspecies of the common redpoll exist, including the mealy redpoll, Icelandic redpoll, and Greenland redpoll. These birds are notable for their resilience in cold climates and their distinctive migration patterns.

Aesthetically, the common redpoll is a small, streaky finch with a brownish-grey body adorned with dark streaks. It features a vibrant red patch on its forehead, a black bib, and two pale wing bars. Males may also exhibit some red on their breasts. Compared to the Arctic redpoll, they are smaller and more heavily streaked. Their diet primarily consists of seeds, particularly from birch and alder trees. They nest low in trees or bushes, laying speckled eggs that they incubate for approximately 11 days.

These birds can be found across northern Europe, Asia, North America, Greenland, and Iceland. They are partial migrants, moving south in the autumn and returning north in the spring. They thrive in boreal forests populated with pine, spruce, and larch trees.

The mealy redpoll, a close relative, is slightly larger and paler than the common redpoll. Despite their similarities, they generally do not interbreed extensively with the lesser redpoll, even when they cohabit the same environment.