Hoary Redpoll

Acanthis hornemanni

The less common of the two redpoll species in the Pribilofs, this species is nonetheless regular in spring, summer, and fall. There remain only a few sightings in very late winter/early spring and none from late fall, though this is likely due to lack of coverage rather than actual occurrence. In the spring this species is found annually, but typically in smaller numbers and less regularly than Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea). It is most likely to be seen during the second half of May with fewer sightings as June progresses towards summer. During the summer there is little pattern or time of increased reliability as the species is typically found as a holdover from the spring, though on occasion arrivals will appear during late June, July, or early August. Breeding has been recorded in several years though it is still unusual for this species to nest in the Pribilofs. Fall migrants do not typically appear prior to early-mid September with peak numbers recorded in late September and early-mid October; however, its late fall abundance is unknown.

Photo by Scott Schuette
Photo by Laura Keene
Photo by Doug Gochfeld
Hoary Redpoll (front) by Cory Gregory