Finches · Perching birds
Red Crossbill
Link copied.
Loxia curvirostra
Link copied.
Voice
Call
Call
Song
How to recognize it
-
A little larger than a sparrow
-
Bill with crossed tips
-
Adult males often red or orange, females green or yellow
-
Fast, undulating flight; flocks call to one another, "kep-kep-kep"
About the species
The male can be red or orange, with a pale grey-white belly; the female is greenish or yellow, often with yellow-green feather edges. Both have dark brown wings and a short tail with a deep notch. The bill tips cross over each other, a clear detail as they work at cones.
They spend most of the day in trees, clambering around cones and sometimes hanging upside down to feed. A flying flock keeps in touch with repeated "kep-kep-kep" calls; the crossed bill pries apart cone scales to reach the seeds. When cone crops are plentiful, nesting can begin even in winter.
They live in coniferous and mixed forests, especially spruce woods, and feed mainly on conifer seeds, with weed and sunflower seeds and occasional insects also on the menu. Their movements follow cone crops: when seeds are scarce in one area, they travel elsewhere, so local numbers can change sharply from year to year.
Where to find
-
In spruce forest, look into the canopy: red crossbills cling to cones and pull out the seeds.
-
In mixed forest, listen for a flock calling to one another as it flies quickly in a wavering path between trees.
-
During courtship, watch the upper branches: a male sings while running and circling along a branch.
