Lesser Redpoll - 2003-07

The Lesser Redpoll is a small brown, streaked finch with a red forehead and black bib. In Pembrokeshire it is found mostly in conifer plantations but also in parkland and orchards. Nests are placed in trees, variously against the trunk or further out on hanging branches.

The county breeding population was estimated to be about 100 pairs at the close of the 1984-88 survey. This was the equivalent of just over three per occupied tetrad. The survey of 2003-07 detected a 37% spread in distribution. Using the previous average density, it seems likely that the population was of the order of 130 – 140 pairs at the end of 2007. Recent extensive felling of conifer plantations is likely to have a detrimental effect on this species, which is already red-listed under Birds of Conservation Concern 3 (Eaton et al., 2009), having declined nationally over the last 25 years.

Graham Rees

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 4

Orange = breeding probable = 25

Yellow = breeding possible = 12

Total tetrads in which registered = 41 (8.4%)