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  Profile

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  In flight

Songbirds

Hoary Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

• uncommon
• 40 km/h
• Least Concern

Frosted little finch that breeds farther north than almost any songbird. Delivers messages through the Arctic dark.

Population

About 50–150 million mature individuals

Habitat

Arctic tundra, tundra-taiga transition, and boreal edge

Fun fact

Redpolls can store extra seeds in an expandable esophageal pouch to fuel cold Arctic nights.

Range

Circumpolar Arctic; winters irregularly farther south

Diet

Birch, alder, and other small seeds; insects in breeding season

Size

0.14 m

Wingspan

0.22 m

Lifespan

8 years