Red-poll Linnets

“Bill small, short, straight, very acute, more or less compressed, the lateral outlines usually a little concave, those of culmen and gonys straight; commissure straight to the slight angulation. Base of bill thickly beset with a ruff of antrorse plumules, concealing the small nasal fossae and round nostrils. Wings longer than tail, pointed by first 3 primaries. Tail rather long for this group, forked. Feet small and weak, but tarsi longer than middle toes without claw; lateral toes of equal lengths, their claw-tips falling beyond base of middle claw. Hind claw much longer, stouter and more curved than the middle, exceeding its digit in length. Size small; plumage streaky with dusky, white, and flaxen colors, crown crimson, face and throat blackish; sexes otherwise dissimilar; with rosy or carmine on breast, wanting in. Scarcely different from Linota (flavirostris, etc.) the pattern of coloration being the most available distinction.” Elliot Coues, 1884

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