About the Red Crossbill
The red crossbill or common crossbill is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other fruits.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Crossbills are characterized by the mandibles crossing at their tips, which gives the group its English name. Using their crossed mandibles for leverage, crossbills are able to efficiently separate the scales of conifer cones and extract the seeds on which they feed. Adult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation. The distinctive crossed mandibles eliminate most other species, but this feature is shared by the similar two-barred crossbill, with which it overlaps considerably in range.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Red Crossbill sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Taiwan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Jersey.
When to see it
Peak activity in June · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Two-barred CrossbillLoxia leucopteraThe two-barred crossbill is 14.5–17 cm (5.7–6.7 in) in length and weighs 25–40 g (0.88–1.41 oz).
Parrot CrossbillLoxia pytyopsittacusAdult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation.
Cassia CrossbillLoxia sinesciurisThe Cassia crossbill shares many physical features with the red crossbill and all of its different call types.
Side by side: Hawfinch vs Red Crossbill · Red Crossbill vs Two-barred Crossbill · Parrot Crossbill vs Red Crossbill
Learn the Red Crossbill for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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