European Birds

Fringillidae : Finches

Common Redpoll

Carduelis flammea flammea

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

The Mealy Redpoll is a subspecies of Common Redpoll that is found in northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America. The population breeding in northern Europe tend to migrate southeast after breeding, but small numbers reach Britain each year.

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

Common Redpolls tend to be larger and greyer than Lesser Redpoll, and particularly pale individuals may easily be mistaken for the much rarer Arctic Redpoll.

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

Mealy Redpoll (C. f. flammea) - East Lothian, Scotland - December 2005

The birds shown in all the above photos were part of a flock of about a dozen Mealy Redpolls that spent the winter of 2005/2006 at Aberlady Bay. The flock also contained several Lesser Redpoll and an Arctic Redpoll.