– small passerine, smaller than House Sparrow<\/a> >> VISUAL ID >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n >> SOUND ID >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n – very vocal
\n– diurnal migrant
\n– very vocal
\n– taxonomic status not solved, often treated as separate species:
\nLesser Redpoll Acanthis cabaret<\/em> and\u00a0Mealy Redpoll Acanthis flammea
\n<\/em>
\n>> FLIGHT >>>>><\/strong>
\n– small finch, jizz and flight appearance resemble European Goldfinch and Eurasian Siskin<\/a>
\n– flocks comprise between 1-20 individuals, sometimes considerably more (in invasion years)
\n– somewhat hopping, not quite as straight and fast, somewhat more hesitant than Eurasian Siskin<\/a>
\n– sometimes mingles with other finches, especially Eurasian Siskin<\/a>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2022_RNE_13122017_crpoll-flammea_d_konow-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2022, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– rather small and compact finch
\n– strong undulating flight thus wings often folded
\n– deeply forked, medium-length tail<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2023_RNE_13122017_crpoll-flammea_d_konow-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2023, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– chin and around base of bill black, red poll, fairly short yellow bill
\n– pinkish wash of breast and upper belly indicate an AD M (lower bird)
\n– basic colouration lighter than of ssp. cabaret<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2024_RNE_13122017_crpoll-flammea_d_konow-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2024, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– depending on angle more or less stocky
\n– tail seems to be longer and less forked when fanned out<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2038_RNE_13122018_Redpoll-ssp-flammea_Konow-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em>\u00a0with\u00a0Acanthis flammea cabaret<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2038, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– right-hand bird ssp. cabaret<\/em>, note darker colouration and smaller size
\n– the bird lowest to the right (out of focus) is very pale and unmarked and might be an AD M Arctic Redpoll<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2025_RNE_13122017_crpoll-FL-flammea_d_konow-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2025, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– grey-brown back and to a different extend rather pale rump (same colour as back in ssp. cabaret<\/em>)
\n– two whitish wingbars
\n– no obvious white fringes in primaries -> Common Linnet<\/a> -> Eurasian Twite<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2026_RNE_13122017_crpoll-flammea_d_konow_-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2026, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– lighter pale grey-brown than other similar sized finches
\n– different colour hue between the individuals sometimes makes it impossible to be sure about ssp.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2028_RNE_13122018_crpoll-flammea_d_konow-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2028, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– extend and intensity of flank-streaking very variable
\n– very pale and bull-necked individuals are probably of tundra origin could be Arctic Redpolls but ID very difficult (e.g. centre lowest)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/BIF2060_RNE_01012018_ESiskinCRedpollEGoldfinch_Parkentin-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nEurasian Siskin Spinus spinus<\/em> M F<\/strong>
\nEuropean Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2060, 01\/01\/2018, Parkentin, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– often mixed with Eurasian Siskin<\/a>, in direct comparison slightly larger
\n– appears elongated due to longer tail
\n– head rounder with shorter bill
\n– lacks translucent wing-band<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/BIF2027_RNE_13122017_crpoll-flammea_d_konow-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nCommon Redpoll Acanthis f. flammea<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF2027, 13\/12\/2017, Konow, Germany, Roland Neumann
\n– at greater distance pale rump and lack of white in primaries are good pointers
\n– due to messy flocking features not easy to observe, therefore best determined by voice<\/p>\n
\n– huge variation in flight calls due to ‘call matching’ between partners
\nand flockmates (Mundinger 1979)
\n– calls learned from parents or other birds near nest
\n– flight call a fast series of polyphonic<\/em> rather complex calls, often uttered in couplets or triplets
\n– ‘dry’ almost mechanical timbre\u00a0like ‘che che’ somewhat similar to Red Crossbill<\/a>
\n– social call a 0.3s long, polyphonic upslur<\/em>, very similar to Eurasian Siskin<\/a><\/p>\n