THE LESSER REDPOLE 



LiNOTA RUFESCENS 



The Lesser Redpole, one of the smallest of 

 British Finches, and a favourite cage-bird, is a 

 rather local species, especially during the breeding 

 season. It is decidedly a northern species, but 

 breeds in most suitable localities north of about lat. 

 52^°. South of that limit it is much more local, 

 though perhaps thought to be much rarer than it 

 really is, especially in the extreme west and south- 

 west. It breeds, however, in South Devon, il 

 sparingly. In Scotland its distribution appears 

 largely to depend upon the presence of birch woods 

 and fir plantations. In Ireland it is equally widely 

 if locally distributed, and commonest in the north. 

 The extra British range of this Redpole is very 

 limited, and confined practically to Western Europe. 

 It breeds in West Germany, Belgium, Holland, and 

 in the alpine regions of Styria, Savoy and Italy. 

 Other very closely allied forms are found in the 

 Arctic regions of both hemispheres, and are rare 



abnormal migrants to the British Islands. 

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