COMIMON REDPOLL 411 



winds, no one has yet reported that the common redpoll uses the same 

 nest from one year to the next, as Wynne-Edwards (1952) reports 

 is true of the arctic races on Baffin Island, and of the lesser redpoll 

 (A.J. cabaret) in Scotland. 



Lee R. Dice (1918b) considers nest building the work of the female 

 alone, but I have seen both birds at the nest during the last phases of 

 construction. 



Eggs. — Four to five (rarely up to seven) eggs comprise the clutch. 

 Brandt (1943) writes: 



The egg ranges from ovate to elongate ovate in shape, is almost without gloss, 

 and somewhat delicate in structure. The ground color is prominent, and ranges 

 from greenish white to pale glaucous blue and pale turquoise green. The markings 

 are never conspicuous because they lack boldness, yet often the broad end of the 

 egg is thickly sprinkled. These spots, while concentrated at the large end, are 

 never found to be wreathed as in the case of the Hoary Redpoll. In color they 

 range from pale rose purple to purplish lilac. 



An occasional additional kind of marking, in the form of hairline pencillings 

 or small dots is to be found usually at the broad end of the egg. The latter vary 

 from dull dusky purple to dull violet black. 



Walkinshaw (1948) likens them to eggs of the field sparrow (Spizella 

 pusilla) . 



The measurements of 50 eggs average 16.9 by 12.2 millimeters; 

 the eggs showing the four extremes measure 20.3 by 12.9, 17.0 by 

 13.7, and 14.2 hj 11.2 millimeters. 



Preble (1908) reports a nest with one egg as early as April 24 on 

 the Upper Mackenzie River and Perrett (in Austin, 1932) records 

 four fresh eggs on April 28, at Nain, Newfoundland, Labrador. 

 These are early dates which contrast with L. I. Grinnell's (1947) late 

 date of July 22 for young just leaving the nest at Churchill, and 

 admit the possibility of a second brood in this species, something 

 Brandt (1943) seems confident of in Alaska. A. C. Bent (in litt.) 

 thought so, too, writing me: "When I was in Nome in 1911, we found 

 both species about equally common and both nesting * * * they 

 were well started on their second broods about the middle of July; 

 young birds of the first broods were fully grown and on the wing." 

 June, however, seems to be the peak month for nesting activity. 

 Females do all the incubating. 



Although Grinnell (1943) found incubating females to be close 

 sitters, I found that they almost always left the nest quietly as 

 soon as I approached; they dropped below the level of the nest and 

 flew off through the alders without giving alarm. Only once did 

 adult bhds betray their nest by shovsing alarm. On the other hand, 

 Walkinshaw (1948) says: "I soon found that when redpoUs scolded 

 me in the region of these groups of willows, they had a nest there." 



