Hoary Redpoll - Ross Feldner

Also known as the Arctic Redpoll, Hoary Redpolls are uncommon visitors to the Northern United States; they occasionally coexist with Common Redpolls at bird feeders. The stunning ice crystals that form on bright, cold winter nights are called "hoarfrost" and the Hoary Redpoll is very familiar with this phenomenon. This little finch lives far from most people, on the northern tundra, where it nests and endures harsh winters. "Redpoll" alludes to this bird's berry-red head patch, while "hoary" also alludes to its icy plumage.

This bird endures the one of the coldest of biomes anywhere, living mostly above the Arctic Circle where temperatures average -20ºF. Hoary Redpolls live in scrub and thickets and winter along woodland edges and fields.

Unlike most other birds, the Hoary Redpoll's body is covered with fluffy body feathers. These aid the bird's ability to stay warm in bitterly cold weather. A redpoll may remove some of its body feathers to shed some of its insulation during exceptionally warm weather. In a few days, the feathers regrow!

Nest sites are similar to the Common Redpoll but may be closer to water, often over shallow water; in willows, alder, spruce, tamarack, birch. Where otherwise suitable sites are unavailable, Hoary Redpolls nest in cavities in driftwood.