I was beginning to wonder if any birds other than the regulars would be bellying up to the feeders this winter. Not that I’m tired of observing blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, and downy and hairy woodpeckers, but oft is the case that large flocks of other, more irruptive species of birds annually swoop en masse to our feeding stations like busloads of tourists.
And so, I was delighted to see out of the kitchen window a few mornings ago a cluster of common redpolls busily feeding on black-oil sunflower seeds. Slowly opening the back door, I gingerly stepped onto the deck to get a closer look and to listen to their soft vocalizations and feeding activities. Once, when I moved too fast, the whole flock, some 20 or so birds, flushed in unison, their wingbeats sounding off as one in a loud rush of frenzied flight.
Common redpolls, not so common some years, yet extremely abundant other years, are species of birds considered “irruptive.” During years when food and environmental conditions are limited and harsh, large, nomadic flocks of redpolls show up in surprisingly great numbers during some winters throughout Minnesota and elsewhere.
For local birders this season, the winter has seen a moderate influx of redpolls. And true to form, redpolls are locally abundant, which holds true to what an irruption is defined as — incursions of birds to an area that aren’t normally occupied by said species.
Over the years here in northwest Minnesota, we year ‘round residents have enjoyed over the years various irruptions of common redpolls and other species of birds. For example, in the mid-2000s a large influx of great gray owls, northern hawk owls, and boreal owls created such a stir that nearly everyone throughout Minnesota was observing them. Snowy owls, another irruptive species, were quite abundant this winter, for example.
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Sometimes we notice unusual numbers of American goldfinches, pine grosbeaks, pine siskins, purple finches, and both species of crossbills showing up at our wintertime feeding stations. Just this month I’ve observed small groups of pine siskins and occasional showings of pine grosbeaks, too.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), Feb. 18-21, an annual four-day bird count conducted by birders everywhere throughout the world (this year celebrating the event’s 25th anniversary), is a great way to participate in citizen science. Maybe this year another trend will be documented as in years’ past about the prevalence or absence of irruptions on both the national and international scale.
For example, nearly 10 years ago GBBC reported that, “Common redpolls were on the move, with widespread reports from across southern Canada and the northern tier of the United States. Although there was less of a push into the northwest than last season (2012), their southward movement was more uniform, west to east, than the irruption into the Northeast in 2011. Redpolls were also reported in Iceland and northern Europe, where they occur regularly. Surprising numbers of hoary redpolls were reported as well.”
Many people wonder, what causes these massive movements of some species of wild birds to certain locales across continents? Food is believed to be the primary reason why species prone to irruptive behaviors such as common redpolls migrate to other areas. When food availability is low, irruptions are bound to occur. And depending on the species of bird, the influxes can be wide-ranging.
The diminutive and attractive common redpoll is a bird of the far north. This species of finch breeds, nests, and raises their young in northern latitudes throughout the world in treeless areas of tundra habitat as well as in northern pine, spruce, alder, birch, and willow habitats.
And despite the fact that northern Minnesota’s diverse landscape contains vast amounts of all of these aforementioned habitat types, we only see this special little bird that’s scarcely five inches long during the wintertime. Come spring here in Minnesota’s Northland, common redpolls are long gone.
Mostly a seed eater, common redpolls also eat berries and insects. Yet to attract and keep flocks of common redpolls that happen to show up at our winter backyard bird feeding stations, include a variety of seed mixes like millet, thistle, and nyjer, too. Variety, after all, is the spice of life.
This winter has been a little harsher than winters we’ve experienced lately. While springtime is only about a month away according to our calendars, there’s still plenty of winter left. As such, the possibility still exists for flocks of common redpolls to come swooping down to our feeders, as we get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
