Help identifying Bird please.

VERYinterested

I have Nyjer seed in a couple of feeders in my garden, I get all the usual suspects, Goldfinches, Siskins and Redpolls. Since Christmas there are about 3 or 4 Redpolls and 20 or 30 other birds that are basically identical to a Redpoll, but they do not have a red cap on top of their head, all the other colours are similar. Could they be Twite, or are they female Redpolls, although the differential in proportion of males to females is way off? I'll try and get a proper photo of it and post, here's some Redpoll photos reference. http://worcesterbirding.co.uk/50.html (They are not the Redpolls that have red on their breast, I only see the odd one of those).

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'd imagine they are Female & Juvenile Redpoll.

Kess73

The colourations on redpoll can vary greatly . Some mature birds will have lots of red and pink on them, but some will have very little or none.

Also at this time of the year there are a lot of artic redpoll in with the lesser redpoll, with some migrating mealy redpoll over here too.


The lesser redpoll tend to be the most colourful of the three, with the mealy redpoll being a bit paler, and the artic redpoll being the palest.


The lesser redpoll is the one that we have a steady breeding population of here in Ireland.


Twite are very similar to redpoll, especially female redpoll, but only when seen apart from redpoll, as once both species are together the differences tend to stand out.

Another thing with twite is that once they start to get ready for the breeding season, they start to get pink in their colouration also.


I have to say that I love redpoll, I get a small army of them every year from the start of winter to the end of spring. At present I would get them everyday in numbers ranging from 40 to 80 birds at a time.

They come like clockwork every year and replace my house sparrows until about April/May, and then the redpoll vanish and the house sparrows return in similar numbers to the redpoll to spend the summer and autumn breeding in and around my garden until the next winter when the redpolls return and the cycle continues again.

VERYinterested

Thanks Kess and Srameen, they are a lovely cheeky little bird alright. I remember as kids my uncle used to show us different wild birds and the Redpoll was always one he got most excited about (I know that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean!) A couple of years back my older brother was visiting my house and he saw a couple of Redpolls in the garden, he couldn't believe it as he hadn't seen one for forty years. He works nights and I've been trying to get him over before dusk so he can see this impressive army that visits daily at the moment.

I only started to put the Nyjer out last March, first the Siskins came, now are nowhere to be seen hopefully they'll return in March, then the Goldies came and never really left, what a sight they are on a sunny morning and as well as their distinctive whistle they have a lovely finch call to let their buddies know there is grub to be had.

In the suburbs of South Dublin, I never thought I'd get so many Redpolls at the one time. They are eating me out of hose and home, but it's worth it to watch their antics. Thanks for clearing it up, they are definitely Redpolls alright, I just had that small element of doubt. I live near Marlay Park, I wonder is that where they hang out?