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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: 1427 W: 128 N: 5252] (23221)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-02-20
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/7.1, 1/250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Joe's Favourites 2 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-08-30 14:22
Viewed: 469
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
A male Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea 13 cm) photographed last winter on a spruce branch in the boreal forest of Montmorency north of Quebec City.

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)
siggi, aes_thor, vanderschelden, pekkavalo1, Kathleen, eqshannon, rcrick, Jamesp, jconceicao, meyerd, mala-zaba, sranjan, albert, gannu, SelenE, oanaotilia, efsus, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Mario,

This is extreme well done shot! Perfect sharp, beautifully coloured bird stand well against white background. Very nice composition, Great Work!
Hope You don't mind if I put it to my favourites:)

TFS, cheers
Adrian

Hello Mario,
One from the archives; can't be so cold in Quebec yet, I suppose:-)
Very good composition. I like the perch and the point of view.
That Common redpoll is a beauty; guess they all are.
Well done
Thanks for sharing
Annick

Merhaba Mario;
Senin bu kırmızı kuşlarını çok seviyorum.Soğuktan biraz üşümüşe benziyor.Nefis bir fotoğraf,ellerine sağlık,selamlar :)

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3103 W: 234 N: 5930] (20016)
  • [2008-08-30 16:11]

Hi Mario,
A refreshing winter shot as we swelter in the heat of our late summer. : )
Delicate fine details on this redpoll with beautiful subtle colors.
The composition is lovely with the main twig diagonally cutting through the frame, with additional blurred twigs forming a sort of explosion around the subject.
TFS. : )

Hi Mario,
Very beautiful capture of Common Redpoll with fantastic pose and composition, pin sharp details, nicely blurred BG and crisp natural colours.
TFS
Pekka

Hi Mario.
Stunning image. Composition, exposure, DOF, colour and sharpness all spot on. What a beautiful bird and blends in perfectly with his surroundings.

Kathleen.

Kewl my Francophone bud! A very attractive change which may come earlier for us this year..Very nice Marion...
Bob'

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 648 W: 42 N: 1198] (3860)
  • [2008-08-30 23:20]

Hi Mario,

Picture perfect with excellent exposure and sharp detail. Really looks like something you would see on a christmas card, just beautiful, t.f.s

Cheers Rick :)

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-08-30 23:38]

Hi Mario

Great pose here with lovely colours and details. Good notes as well.
JAmes

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 477 W: 11 N: 1348] (4706)
  • [2008-08-31 0:24]

Hello Mario,
What a beautiful Common Redpoll is! Wonderful colors, excellent exposure and sharp detail.
Nicely composed, great POV. Nicely done.
Best regards
Siggi

  • Great 
  • cloud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 118 W: 63 N: 256] (2055)
  • [2008-08-31 1:51]

Hello Mario,
You remind us that winter approach. I like these birds in winter but last winter Isaw them very little because winter was very gentle without frost. I see that you managed catch winter atmosphere. Very good composition.
Regards, Pawel

Hi Mario,

Superd picture.
Fantastic colours and definition.
Excellent composition.
I liked very much.

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1335 W: 79 N: 929] (8620)
  • [2008-08-31 4:52]

merhaba mario
beautiful bird with wonderful capture
POV, BG, light, colours and sharpness are great
TFS
regards
izler

Salut Mario,
Très bien réussit cette photo. Le fill flash est juste bien dosé pour dégager toute les ombres sur l'oiseau et la branche. Le plumage est très détaillé. Vous faites vraiment de belle photos d'oiseau.

Je vais au parc St-Bruno aujourd'hui, j'espère d'en faire au moins une comme vous.

Merci du partage.

Hello Mario,
It is just like a picture post card :). Good details, sharpness & excellent POV against the snowy bacgground. TFS.
Regards-Subhash

Bonjour Mario,
Magnigique photo! tres belle composition et netteté irréprochable,que dire d'autre?
Bravo
Amicalement
Albert

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 996 W: 4 N: 2570] (11874)
  • [2008-08-31 9:01]

Hello mario, Very nice shot and great clarity. Lovely closeup shot and wonderful clarity. Well done Ganesh

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2426 W: 63 N: 4002] (12926)
  • [2008-08-31 9:14]

Hi Mario,
It's like a postcard. This cute fellow looks so nice :o) Well exposed and composed capture with good details. TFS
All the best
Selen

bonsoir,
de tres belles couleurs dans un cadrage parfait...la diagonale de la branche est bien positionnée, le contratse flou/netteté permet d'apprecier d'autant mieux les details de l'oiseau
bravo
vero

  • Great 
  • mariki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1064 W: 64 N: 2234] (9195)
  • [2008-08-31 13:09]

Bonsoir Mario,

Très bonne capture de ce sizerin. Excellente composition et netteté. Superbes couleurs.
Bonne soirée,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1888 W: 245 N: 6180] (22002)
  • [2008-08-31 13:13]

A magnificent shot of this cute little Redpoll :-)
Very detailed and sharp.
Superb composition.
Excellent use of flash.
Into my favs!

Cheers,
Joe

  • Great 
  • efsus Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 299 W: 22 N: 363] (1878)
  • [2008-09-01 6:35]

Merhaba Dostum Mario,
Bir kuş karesini hep böyle bir kompozisyonda çekmek istemişimdir. Kusursuz bir kare olmuş. Bu güzel kareyi ben çekmesem de onu seyretmek bile büyük keyif. Favorilerim arasında görmek istediğim bir kuş bu.
Elinize sağlık.
Hüseyin

Bonsoir Mario,

La prise de vue permet de voir ce sizerin flammé qui gonfle ses plumes pour se protéger du froid. L'image est claire et nette. Le sujet est bien cadré. la lumière rehausse les couleurs. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

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