Common Redpolls

My bird feeder has been rather busy lately with dozens of Common Redpolls. They always seem to arrive about December and will stay the winter, eating me out of house and home.

When they are not at the feeder, I have seen them feeding on the seeds of weeds. They are very smart because they will flutter around the heads of dried Ragweed and this causes all the seeds to fall from the heads of the plants and fall onto the snow, where it is easily seen and reached.

When I am out snowshoeing and I see seeds scattered on the snow, around dried weeds, I know it is the work of the Redpolls.

In my experience about one in a hundred Common Redpolls will be a Hoary Redpoll. The Hoary is generally more white but it has an all white rump that confirms the identification. I do not believe I have ever seen more than three Hoary Redpoll at any one time.

It might interest you to known that “poll” is an old English word that refers to the top of the head. Check your Bird guide for more details.