Loxia leucoptera
Novice birders frequently measure how exotic a bird is by its bill size and shape. The bills of tropical toucans, hornbills and cassowaries are elaborate, but the forests of Rockies also host a bird with a most particular bill. The tips of the crossbill's beak overlap, leaving the bird with a seemingly clumsy foraging instrument. Crossbills primarily eat spruce seeds, however, and their bills are perfectly designed to pry open the cones. When a crossbill closes its bill, the bill tips separate the overlapping scales, which allows the bird to seize the sought-after seed with its tongue. Crossbills overwinter in flocks. The presence of a foraging group high in a spruce tree creates an unforgettable shower of spruce cone scales and crackling chatter. When not foraging in spruce spires, White-winged Crossbills are frequently seen licking salt from winter roads. The scientific name leucoptera means 'white wing.' |
I.D.: General: crossed bill tips; 2 bold, white wing bars. Male: reddish-pink plumage overall; black wings and tail. Female: dusky yellow plumage overall; slightly streaked underparts; dark wings and tail. Immature: like the female, but more heavily streaked. Size: L 6-63/4 in. (15-17 cm). Range: fairly common year-round resident in the Canadian Rockies; populations fluctuate considerably from year to year. Habitat: coniferous forests, primarily spruce-fir, and occasionally townsite and deciduous forests in the montane and the lower subalpine. Nesting: on an outer branch in a conifer; cup nest is loosely woven with twigs, grass, moss, fur, cocoons and bark strips; female incubates 4 eggs for 12-14 days. Feeding: prefers conifer seeds (mostly spruce and fir); also eats deciduous tree seeds and occasionally insects; occasionally licks salt and minerals from roads. Voice: call is composed of harsh chet notes; song is a high-pitched series of trills. Similar Species: Red Crossbill : lacks the white wing bars; male is paler. Pine Grosbeak: much larger; lacks the crossed bill tips. |
