Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Red Crossbill is a stocky finch of conifer forests whose bill tips actually cross, a tool for prying open conifer cones and pulling out the seeds. Flocks wander across North America following good cone crops, so crossbills may be common one winter and absent for years. They may even nest in winter when cones are plentiful.

Appearance

Appearance: A stocky finch, 5.5–6.7 in (14–17 cm) long. Males are usually dull brick red with darker wings and tail; females are dull yellow to olive; juveniles are grayish and streaky. The crossed bill tips are hard to see from a distance.
Voice: A hard “kip-kip” flight call is often the first clue that crossbills are passing overhead.

Look-alikes

White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera

White-winged has two bold white wing bars; the Red Crossbill's wings are plain dark brownish black.

Why they get mixed upBoth have crossed bills and red males.

Cassia CrossbillLoxia sinesciuris

Looks practically the same; it is told apart mainly by its distinct flight call and by range.

Why they get mixed upIt was treated as part of the Red Crossbill until 2009.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Conifer forests
Pine groves
Conifer plantings in parks
Range: Conifer forests across Canada and much of the US, including Alaska, the Northwest, California, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, the Great Lakes, and New England. In winter wandering flocks can turn up farther south and in western lowlands.
Seasonal presence: Nomadic; some populations, such as the one in Newfoundland, stay put year-round.
Preferred conditions: Rarely found far from conifers such as pine, spruce, hemlock, and Douglas-fir.

Behavior

Diet: Mostly conifer seeds, especially pine. Also buds, other seeds, some berries, and insects. Crossbills are strongly drawn to salt.
Social life: Travels in flocks and clambers over cones high in evergreens while feeding.

Life cycle

Breeding season: Irregular and tied to cone crops; nesting can happen in almost any month, including winter.
Nest: The female builds a bulky open cup on a horizontal conifer branch, usually 10–40 ft (3–12 m) up.
Clutch size: Usually 3–4 eggs
Incubation: 12–15 days, by the female while the male feeds her
Fledging: About 18–20 days after hatching

Name and classification

About the name: North American Red Crossbills come in about ten “” that differ in flight call and bill size and rarely interbreed. Type 9 was described as its own species, the Cassia Crossbill, in 2009.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Status: Some local types depend on one kind of conifer and are vulnerable if that forest is lost.