Scientific name: Carduelis cabaret
Family: Finches (Fringillidae)
Wingspan: 20 - 25cm (4 1/2 - 6")
Diet: Very small seeds
Feed with: ideal seed for this wild garden bird is niger seed
Habitat: It is easier to view the redpool throughout winter. They breed mainly in Scotland and north east England.
Lifespan: 2 Years
There are four different types of redpoll in the UK, the most common of which is the lesser redpoll. They are:
Our most most common redpoll resident features a black and yellow streaked plumage with a dark brown forked tail. In contrast to these plain coloured streaks, the redpoll features a dash of red on its head.
This tiny bird bird is part of the finch family and is about the same size as a great tit. The lesser redpoll is best spotted over winter in the UK, where they can be seen hanging from the branches and twigs of birch and alder trees. It is easier to view them in winter on these deciduous trees when all the leaves have fallen.
SMALL SEEDS FROM TREES such as alder, birch and spruce constitute the main diet of the lesser redpoll. They often feed among branches, hidden away, but can be seen clearly through winter once the leaves have fallen.
IN THE GARDEN, lesser redpolls like to visit garden bird feeders and will eat niger seeds.
Redpoll Breeding & Nesting
REDPOLL NESTS ARE CUP-SHAPED, often untidy and made from materials such as fine brittle twigs and grass. It is possible to see lesser redpoll nests in deciduous woodland in winter.
BREEDING BEGINS IN MAY and lesser redpoll eggs are found to be glossy and smooth with a pale blue hue and small pinkish speckles. Incubation usually lasts between 10 - 13 days with around 11 - 14 fledge days.