Ireland has welcomed a rare Arctic visitor with the sighting of a Greenland Redpoll, a bird typically found in the high latitudes of the North Atlantic.

The sighting occurred on Sunday on Tory Island, a remote island off the coast of County Donegal.

This marks the first confirmed sighting in Ireland since September 2024, when one was recorded on Inishbofin, County Galway. According to irishbirding.com, this is only the 23rd recorded occurrence of the Greenland Redpoll in Ireland since 2010, highlighting the species’ rarity in the region.

The Greenland Redpoll is a subspecies of the Common Redpoll, a small Arctic finch in the Fringillidae family. This particular subspecies is native to southern Greenland and Baffin Island in northeastern Canada, where it breeds in cold, scrubby tundra habitats.

It is well adapted to the harsh Arctic environment, with a larger body size, heavier bill, and thicker plumage than other redpoll subspecies—adaptations that help it conserve heat in frigid temperatures.

Though primarily a resident of Arctic regions, the Greenland Redpoll occasionally migrates short distances south in winter. Its wintering range includes eastern Canada, Iceland, and, more rarely, parts of western Europe and the northeastern United States. In years of poor food supply or severe weather, individuals may wander farther than usual, leading to rare sightings like this one in Ireland.

Field identification of the Greenland Redpoll can be difficult due to its resemblance to other redpoll types, but key features include its robust build, pale buffish plumage, and a relatively small red crown patch. Males may show a faint pink wash on the breast, though it’s less intense than in other redpoll subspecies.