Scientific name: Carduelis hornemanni (Holboll, 1843)
Bird group: Finches and Crossbills
Field characters. 13.5 cm. Closely similar to Common Redpoll. Upperparts cream-grey, streaked on head, back and flanks, underparts creamy, two white wing bars. Red forehead, black throat, yellow bill. Bill with straight culmen, giving somewhat uptilted appearance and usually shorter than Redpoll's. Adult male very white with large white unstreaked rump patch and with variable amount of pink on breast. Females and juveniles very similar to flammea-subspecies of Redpoll, sometimes indistinguishable, but close examination should reveal (almost) unstreaked white rump and longest undertail-coverts, slightly paler mantle, and shorter, more conical bill. Habits like Redpoll.
Voice. Call and song like Common Redpoll, but call in flight slower.
Distribution. Rather scarce resident in the very north of the region.
Habitat. Mainly found in willow- and birch-scrub, often near water.
Food. Insects and seeds, especially birch seeds.