LESSER REDPOULE. 
Linaria minor, Ray. 
Le Gros-bece sizerin. 
Tue Lesser Redpole is a native of the northern portions of our island and all the higher latitudes of the 
adjacent continent ; from these districts numbers migrate southwards on the approach of winter, spreading 
themselves over every part of England, and most of the southern districts of Europe. In habits and manners 
it is gregarious, and is often found in the company of Linnets and Aberdevines. Its food consists almost 
exclusively of the seeds of various plants and shrubs, giving a decided preference to those of the alder, hazel, 
and willow ; hence it resorts habitually to low and swampy situations, where its favourite food abounds. In 
habits and manners it is lively and active, and displays the greatest agility and address in picking out the 
seeds and buds of the smaller branches ; nor is it less to be admired for its great docility and tameness, being 
at all times captured without any difficulty, and soon becoming familiar. The song of the Redpole, though 
not loud, is nevertheless simple and agreeable. It is found to breed in tolerable abundance in Scotland and 
in the northern portions of Europe. Its nest, which is particularly neat and compact, is placed in a low bush 
of willow, alder, or hazel, and sometimes furze, and is composed of grass and moss intermixed with the 
down of the catkins of the willow ; the eggs are four or five in number, very small, and of a pale bluish 
green spotted with orange. 
The beautiful rosy tints which pervade the breast of the male during the whole of the summer, render this 
little favourite one of the most elegant of our native finches. We may here remark, that when in a state of 
captivity, it loses the livery of summer, and does not regain it on the approach of the same season as it 
would do in a state of freedom, a circumstance which should render us cautious in drawing any conclusions 
respecting the changes of the plumage of birds from those that are kept in confinement. The female does 
not at any season acquire the fine tints which characterize the male during spring and summer. 
The young of both sexes during the first autumn resemble the female, and do not require any further 
description than to say that the entire colouring is somewhat more tawny, and the rump only slightly tinged 
with rosy red. 
In summer the adult male has the tip of the bill black, with the base of both mandibles fine horny yellow ; 
space between the bill and the eye, the chin, and throat blackish brown ; crown of the head and rump blood 
red ; neck and breast rosy red, inclining to carmine, but becoming less pure on the flanks, which are slightly 
streaked with brown; middle of the belly, vent, and under tail-coverts white ; the whole of the upper plumage 
tawny brown, each feather having a darker centre ; primaries dark hair brown edged with yellowish white ; 
tail brown, each feather having a lighter edge. 
The Plate represents an adult male and female of the natural size. 
