Species: Acanthis flammea

Common Redpoll

Species

Birds

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Terrestrial vertebrates: birds

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Aves

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Fringillidae

Genus

Acanthis

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102366

Classification

Other Global Common Names

sizerin flammé

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Perching Birds

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Passeriformes - Fringillidae - Acanthis - [Lesser Redpoll], recently treated as a separate species by Knox et al. (2001).Species limits in the redpolls are complex, with from one to four species recognized (AOU 1998). Seutin et al. (1992, 1993) found that two relatively distinct redpoll forms breed at Churchill, Manitoba, but could not distinguish whether they were specifically distinct or the product of different types of intraspecific genetic or ecophenotypic polymorphisms. Seutin et al. (1995) examined rangewide mtDNA variation in redpolls and found little differentiation among the nominal species and subspecies.

Ecology and Life History

Migration

true - true - true - Irruptive winter migrant to areas south of Canada. Flocks migrate to northern nesting areas by mid-March (Terres 1980). Arrives in Beaufort Sea area by May (Johnson and Herter 1989). Rare fall vagrant in northwestern Hawaii (Pratt et al. 1987).

Non-migrant

true

Locally Migrant

true

Food Comments

Eats seeds of birches, alders, willows, pines, elms, grasses, etc. Forages in trees or on the ground. Also eats insects during the summer.

Reproduction Comments

Nests are initiated usually in June in the Beaufort Sea area. Clutch size is 4-5, sometimes up to 7. Incubation, by female, lasts 10-11 days (Terres 1980). Young are tended by both adults, leave nest in 11-16 days. Females have the capacity to double-clutch. Pairs may nest near each other.

Ecology Comments

May travel in large flocks in winter.<br><br>Weakly territorial (Knox and Lowther 2000); individuals move up to 20 kilometers while foraging during breeding season (Molau 1985).<br>

Length

Weight

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-12-04

Global Status Last Changed

1996-12-04

Other Status

LC - Least concern

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

Circumpolar in Arctic and Subarctic. BREEDS: in North America, from western and northern Alaska, northern Yukon, east to northern Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. WINTERS: central Alaska, southern nesting range in Canada to northern California, northern Nevada, northern Utah, central Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, South Carolina (AOU 1983).

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102366