Finch family flocks
Photos: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
Redpoll.
| Redpoll |
Urvalind
|
It happens rather rarely, but an observant watcher can meet flocks of this finch family bird on forest fringes or road verges, or see some of the birds under bird feeders, searching for seeds spilled to the ground.
The winter diet of redpolls is the seeds from birch and alder catkins. From this they also have their Estonian name, urvalind, the "catkin bird”. Larger weed stalks that still stand up in the snow are also inspected. In trees they often cling head downwards on eating, as Arne’s photo shows.
The very pretty redpoll doesn’t nest in Estonia; it is just a passing migrant, and that determines its winter population numbers here too. The plumage of male and female are similar, but only the male has the beautiful rose-red breast. The breast of the female bird is whitish.
The winter diet of redpolls is the seeds from birch and alder catkins. From this they also have their Estonian name, urvalind, the "catkin bird”. Larger weed stalks that still stand up in the snow are also inspected. In trees they often cling head downwards on eating, as Arne’s photo shows.
The very pretty redpoll doesn’t nest in Estonia; it is just a passing migrant, and that determines its winter population numbers here too. The plumage of male and female are similar, but only the male has the beautiful rose-red breast. The breast of the female bird is whitish.
Greenfinches and redpolls eating sunflower seeds.
Tags: 
