WINTER BACKYARD BIRDS (U.S. AND CANADA)

White-Winged Crossbill

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Loxia Leucoptera 

Males tend to be red or pinkish in color, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation.

They are easier to identify than other crossbills, especially in North America, where only red crossbill and this species occur.

Juveniles resemble females but duller, with heavily streaked plumage overall. The wing bars are narrower than in adults.

BILL: black, down-curved with crossed tips.

SIZE: measures about 5.9 - 6.7 inches in length, with a wingspan of 10.2 - 10. 6 inches.

WEIGHT: weighs about 24 - 26 grams.

COLOR: red, pink, green, yellow, black and white.

Seeds from the cones of spruce and tamarack, also seeds from weeds and grasses, and insects.

Coniferous forests with spruce trees, deciduous trees, such as birches or rowans and in boreal forests.

Central Alaska to Newfoundland, and southwards to the northern parts of the United States. This species also occurs across northern Eurasia.

CALL: A dry “kip-kip-kip”, and a liquid “peet” and series of harsh “chet-chet-chet”.

SONG: A series of trills mixed with harsh rattles and melodious warbles.

The song may be uttered during the flight displays.

NEST: The female builds an open cup of twigs, weeds, grass, bark strips, and the interior is lined with finer materials such as lichen, moss, rootlets, and hair.

EGGS: 2 - 4 bluish-green to white eggs, with dark spots or blotches around large end.

INCUBATION: 12 - 14 days, female fed by the male.

They are very nomadic and wanders in large flocks throughout its northern range.

The White-winged Crossbill is known as the “Two-barred” Crossbill in Europe. 

REFERENCES: https://en.wikipedia.org

                         https://www.allaboutbirds.org

                         http://www.oiseaux-birds.com