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Common Redpoll


Common Redpoll
Photo Information
Copyright: Mario Belanger (EOSF1) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1330 W: 107 N: 4804] (21334)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-27
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EF 100-400 F4-5.6 L IS USM, ISO 200, B+W 77 010 UV-Haze 1 x
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/640 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Where They Really Live [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-02-03 9:11
Viewed: 516
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
A female Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea, 13 cm) in a tree of the Montreal Botanical Garden.

From: www.birds.cornell.edu

An abundant breeding bird of the boreal and taiga regions, the Common Redpoll is seen in North America primarily only in the winter. Even then, it generally occurs during irruptions, typically every other year.

Cool Facts

Redpolls have throat pouches for temporarily storing seeds. They may fill their pouches with seeds quickly then fly away to swallow the seeds in a more protected, warmer spot.

Description
Size: 12-14 cm (5-6 in)
Wingspan: 19-22 cm (7-9 in)
Weight: 11-20 g (0.39-0.71 ounces)

A very small finch.
Bill small and conical.
Chin black.
Forehead red.


Body pale brown and streaky.
Wings and tail dark.
Two white wingbars on each wing.
Pink to deep pink wash across chest.

Sex Differences
Male pink on chest and less streaked, female without pink and heavily streaked.

Male
Crown bright red. Chin and lores black. Upperparts dark with pale edges; edges wear off through spring. Wings and tail blackish-brown. Wingbars broad and white. Lower back and rump paler and less streaked than upper back. Rump, cheeks and breast red or pink. Flanks with lines of dark streaks. Undertail coverts usually with dark centers and broad pale edges. Rest of underparts white or buffy.

Female
Similar to male, but darker and streakier. Little or no red, except on crown.

Immature
Immature male resembles adult female.

Similar Species

Pine Siskin more streaked, without red, without black bib. Yellow in wings.
Hoary Redpoll difficult to distinguish, but larger, frostier, with smaller bill and less streaking. Hoary rump white without streaks. Undertail coverts have little to no black markings. Note that Common Redpolls can look similar, and that the streaking on the undertail coverts is often hidden by the white of the overlapping feathers.

Sound
Call is a series of chittering notes with some rising, questioning notes.

Range
Summer Range
Alaska and northern Canada. Also Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia, parts of Europe. Introduced to New Zealand.

Winter Range
Winters from southern part of breeding range south to northern United States. Extent of southward movement varies year to year.

Habitat
Breeds in open subarctic coniferous forest and scrub. Avoids dense forests.
Winters in open woodland and scrub, weedy fields, and suburban and urban areas.

Food
Very small seeds, such as birch, willow, alder, grasses, and weeds. Also arthropods in summer.

Behavior
Foraging
Feeds on small branches, often hanging upside down. Uses feet to hold food items. Frequently visits bird feeders, especially thistle feeders.

Reproduction
Nest Type
An open cup of fine twigs, rootlets and grasses. Lined with thick layer of feathers or hair. Placed in small tree or shrub.

Egg Description
Greenish white to pale blue, spotted with purple at large end.

Clutch Size
Usually 4-6 eggs. Range: 2-7.
Condition at Hatching
Helpless and with little down.

Conservation Status
Not listed as threatened or endangered.

Other Names
Sizerin flammé (French)
Pardillo sizer�n (Spanish)
gerbilratz, jaycee, Jamesp, Islander_, crs, NinaM, eqshannon, timonejoon, CeltickRanger, Juyona, rcrick, mariki, nglen, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Beaux DOF et coloration à ce joli oiseau, un autre projectile superbe Mario ! ! !

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1786 W: 8 N: 4638] (14987)
  • [2008-02-03 9:17]

Hi Mario,

I haven't seen this colorful finch before. What a pretty little bird. Beautiful colors and super sharp details. A beautiful composition on the diagonal branch. No blue skies here today - we're expecting a big storm.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
  • [2008-02-03 9:22]

Hi Mario

Great POV and detail - lovely colors too,

James

Bonjour Mario,

J'aime beaucoup la combinaison savante d'éclairage naturel avec le flash et la pose de l'oiseau. Quant à l'arrière plan et à la partie gauche du cadre, ils me semblent un peu distrayants. Ce qui ne diminue en aucun cas la réussite de cette prise! Merci,

Eugène

Hi Mario
What a cute little one captured with good details, pose and colours.
Well done and TFS
Ralf

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 276 W: 0 N: 404] (1653)
  • [2008-02-03 10:00]

Hi Mario,

Good photo with nice clear details of bird's fethers. I like how you juxtaposed bird's plumage colors and branch colors and texture.

Best regards,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1002 W: 6 N: 2700] (10017)
  • [2008-02-03 10:01]

Hi Mario,what is nice this little bird!! I like a lot this pic,the quality is perfect as usual,thanks for share,Luciano

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 566 W: 0 N: 1388] (4593)
  • [2008-02-03 11:22]

Bonjour Mario, voici une pose et une allure un peu inhabituelle pour un sizerin. Je crois que c'est la pose qui fait cet effet, il a l'air plus gros qu'ils ne le sont en réalité. Et c'est toujours aussi bien capturé et aussi beau à regarder qu'à l'habitude. Justement, j'aime la pose de l'oiseau dans la belle lumière. Merci!

Francine

What would my day be without a special gift from Mario eh? Hockey...Another fine addition to gosh knows how many you have..I have heard that most shutters are good for 500,000 releases...so watch it:-)
Bob

Hi Mario

what can i say? from my view everything was well chosen. nice composition and also very intresting pose of bird, perfect.
well done
TFS
babak

salut Mario

une belle photo, j'aimes beaucoup ton POV en contre-plongé,
très belle densoté des couleurs, excellent profondeur du champ,
et également excellent détails et du plumage de l'oiseau
et de la branche d'arbre, TFS

Asbed

Bellissima e particolare composizione, eccezionali dettagli e magnifici colori. Complimenti.
Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2041 W: 6 N: 2025] (13275)
  • [2008-02-03 14:46]

Hola Mario,
hermosa captura,
perfecto foco,
compo. y bello pov,
saludos

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 627 W: 42 N: 1153] (3730)
  • [2008-02-03 21:05]

Hi Mario,
A lovely shot of this little Redpoll, really nice colours in the plumage and excellent detail, I like the POV and the framing very nicely done, all the best Cheers Rick :)

I like seeing the branch it is perched on too, as part of the composition. This was a very beautiful day you had for capturing nature.It shows colours very well.
Thanks for sharing Mario!

  • Great 
  • mariki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 989 W: 65 N: 2013] (8401)
  • [2008-02-03 23:27]

Bonjour Mario,

Bonne composition. Bonne netteté de ce joli petit oiseau. Il ne doit pas faire trop chaud car il gonfle bien ses plumes. Très belles couleurs.
Bonne journée,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 389 W: 0 N: 371] (1986)
  • [2008-02-04 12:55]

Hi Mario
What is a nice little bird
very good sharp and very nice colors
have a nice day

Bonjour Mario,
Il est superbe ce sizerin sur ce ciel bleu et la composition est magnifque.
Bravo
Marie

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1991 W: 5 N: 5557] (20998)
  • [2008-02-05 10:31]

Hi Mario. Missed this little one last night. A cute liitl one with the red feathers on uts head. good detail in the fetahers and colouts. a nice POV . /DOF. stands out well against the blue sky. well done TFS.
Nick..

Bonsoir Mario,
J'aime beaucoup cette branche étonnante, et la position de l'oiseau : on dirait qu'il a un torticolis ! Mais quel est cet arbre avec tant de petits points ?
Bonne soirée.
Antoine.

Bonsoir Mario,

Ce sizerin flammé sur la branche est inmpressionnant. Il semble ce protéger du froid. La photo est claire et précise. La prise de vue permet de distinguer les détails et les couleurs de l'oiseau. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

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