Common Redpoll
Common RedpollCommon RedpollCommon RedpollCommon Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Acanthis flammea

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
at Arthur's Pass National Park
565 Verified sightings at Arthur's Pass National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,648 Verified sightings across all 37 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Common Redpoll

The redpoll (Acanthis flammea) is a species of small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Acanthis. It breeds in the Arctic and north temperate Holarctic tundra and taiga. The redpoll was formerly widely treated as three species: the common or mealy redpoll, the arctic or hoary redpoll (A. hornemanni), and the lesser redpoll (A. cabaret).

The redpoll was listed in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Fringilla flammea. The specific epithet flammea is Latin meaning "flame-coloured". Linnaeus also described the redpoll as Fringilla linaria on the same page, but the earlier name flammea has priority.

The redpoll was previously placed in the genus Carduelis. Molecular phylogenetic studies showed that it formed a distinct lineage, so it was moved to the resurrected genus Acanthis that had been introduced in 1797 by the German naturalist Moritz Balthasar Borkhausen. The genus name Acanthis is from Ancient Greek akanthis, a name for a small now-unidentifiable bird.

Five subspecies are recognised: A. f. flammea (Linnaeus, 1758) – north Europe, Siberia... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Arthur's Pass National Park

Chaffinch
LC

Chaffinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fringilla coelebs

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
European Greenfinch
LC

European Greenfinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chloris chloris

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Eurasian Goldfinch
LC

Eurasian Goldfinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Carduelis carduelis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
New Zealand Bellbird
LC Endemic

New Zealand Bellbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthornis melanura

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Miromiro
LC Endemic

Miromiro

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica macrocephala

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely
Grey Warbler
LC Endemic

Grey Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone igata

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Eurasian Blackbird
LC

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
South Island Robin
LC Endemic

South Island Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Petroica australis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
New Zealand Fantail
LC

New Zealand Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura fuliginosa

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Silvereye
LC

Silvereye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops lateralis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Rifleman
LC Endemic

Rifleman

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthisitta chloris

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Song Thrush
LC

Song Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus philomelos

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~60%
2 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~60%
3 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~40%
4 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~40%
5 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~30%
6 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
7 Hohe Tauern National Park 🇦🇹 Austria
~20%
8 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~20%
9 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~20%
10 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
11 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
~10%
12 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
13 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
14 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
15 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
16 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
17 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
~10%
18 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
19 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
20 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
21 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
<5%
22 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
23 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
<5%
24 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
25 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
<5%
26 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
27 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
28 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
29 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
30 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
31 Egmont National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
32 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
33 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
34 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
35 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
36 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
37 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Redpoll in Arthur's Pass National Park?

About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Common Redpoll sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 565 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Redpoll in Arthur's Pass National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Common Redpoll in Arthur's Pass National Park in our monthly data.

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