GREATER REDPOLL 423 



Ravnsjord on the east coast) , and Iceland. Has been taken in summer 

 on Southampton Island. 



Winter range. — Winters from the southern parts of breeding range 

 south casually to Colorado (Magnolia), Minnesota (Kittson County, 

 Minneapolis), Iowa (Iowa City), northern Illinois (Chicago area), 

 southern Michigan (Kalamazoo), northwestern Ohio (Lucas County), 

 northwestern Pennsylvania (Presque Isle), New Jersey (Princeton), 

 southeastern New York (Ossining, Shelter Island), New Brunswick 

 (Grand Manan), Newfoundland (Locke's Cove), Ireland, and Scotland. 



Casual record. — Casual at Helgoland. 



ACANTHIS FLAMMEA HOLBOELLII (Brehm) 



Holboell's Redpoll 



Habits 



This subspecies breeds from northern Scandinavia across northern 

 Eurasia to northern and western Alaska, and migrates south in winter 

 to Germany, southeastern Siberia, and Japan. It wanders occa- 

 sionally on migration or in winter to southern Canada and the northern 

 United States, eastward to Massachusetts, Maine, and the Maritime 

 provinces. 



Ridgway (1901) describes it as exactly Hke the common redpoll "in 

 coloration, but averaging decidedly larger, especially the bill, the 

 latter usually relatively longer." 



In the roving flocks of redpolls that are seen occasionally in New 

 England in winter we sometimes see a few that seem larger and darker 

 than the" common redpoUs with which they are associated. Unfortu- 

 nately for the field observer, there are two subspecies of redpolls that are 

 both larger and darker than the common redpoll, either one of which 

 may occur there at that season. These two forms are so difficult to 

 distinguish that it would seem unwise to attempt to identify them by 

 sight in the field. But, as HolboeU's redpoll breeds as far away as 

 Herschel Island and as the greater redpoll breeds m Greenland, it 

 would seem that the latter might be the form more likely to occur 

 anywhere in eastern North America. 



I have been unable to find any information on the nesting habits, 

 food, or other habits of this subspecies, which probably do not differ 

 very much from those of the other northern races. 



The measurements of 21 eggs average 16.9 by 12.0 millimeters; the 

 eggs showing the four extremes measure 18.9 by 13.0, 16.0 by 12.5, 

 and 17.3 by 11.9 milluneters. 



