Dutch Birding volume 29 (2007) no 1

Hornemann's Redpoll near Huisduinen in October 2003 and its identification, taxonomy and occurrence

On 11-15 October 2003, the first Hornemann's Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni for the Netherlands was present at Fort Kijkduin, Huisduinen, Den Helder, Noord-Holland. It was first seen on 11 October and rediscovered and identified at the same site four days later. Its discovery date was earlier than any of the 99 Coues's Redpolls C h exilipes recorded in the Netherlands. It was regarded as an adult because of the rounded tips of the rather broad central tail-feathers. The pink wash on both the rump and the breast indicated that it was a male. It differed from Coues's by its larger sizer with longish tail, larger bill with slightly rounded instead of straight or concave culmen, pale plumage with little streaking on the underparts, uniform frosty-grey streaking on the whitish mantle (which lacked the striking pale centre and brownish edges of most Coues's), and 'chamois-leather' colour on face and throat contrasting with the rest of the plumage. Other supporting characters for Hornemann's were the very small red cap, large size of the white rump, limited amount of pink, top-heavy jizz and large and conspicuous white 'trousers' formed by hanging thigh-feathers. The loud pyuie call was recorded three times and sonagrams differ consistently from those of calls by other redpoll taxa, including pale Icelandic redpolls. As all five currently recognized redpoll taxa have presumably diagnostic characters by which they can be identified in the field, it is suggested to apply the same taxonomic status for each of them. A possible lack of genetic support for species status is not unprecedented in finches, while it remains unclear whether either Coues's or Greenland Redpoll C flammea rostrata is Hornemann's closest relative. The Dutch record was part of the first influx of Hornemann's into north-western Europe, with at least 10 in Shetland, Scotland, and five on Titran, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, all between 22 September and 18 October 2003. It was the third record away from Britain, Iceland and Norway, after a male trapped in Antwerpen, Belgium, on 10 October 1937 and an adult male trapped on Helgoland, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, on 20-27 October 1991.

Arnoud B van den Berg, Duinlustparkweg 98, 2082 EG Santpoort-Zuid, Nederland
(arnoud.vandenbergplanet.nl)
Enno B Ebels, Joseph Haydnlaan 4, 3533 AE Utrecht, Nederland
(ebelswxs.nl)
Magnus S Robb, Baarsjesweg 237/3, 1058 AA Amsterdam, Nederland
(magnus.robbxs4all.nl)