Howdy, PT friends. This week’s bird is the Common Redpoll. I was looking for birds that live in the cold, and while it certainly does that, it is also another world traveler like our last few. Dig this: “a bird banded in Michigan was recovered in Siberia; others in Alaska have been recovered in the eastern U.S., and a redpoll banded in Belgium was found 2 years later in China.” Common redpolls can survive temperatures of up to -65F and burrow under the snow for warmth. Burrows may be up to a foot long and four inches under the surface of the snow. They can also store seeds in their esophagus to swallow later in a safer, warmer place. This throat pouch can store around a quarter of their daily caloric requirement. Its like a little lunch bag, but I’ll bet theirs doesn’t say “Fold in the Cheese” like mine does. Have a good weekend, Avocados. May all your burrows be full of seeds and free of predators.
Links to pics and fun facts:
https://tinyurl.com/mpkztzz6, https://tinyurl.com/3smm2hes.
