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Difference between revisions of "Red Crossbill" - BirdForum Opus

(taxon, behav, refs)
(more details)
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[[Image:Red_Crossbill.jpg|thumb|550px|right|'''Male'''.  Photo by {{user|forcreeks|forcreeks}}.<br />Cabin Lake, [[Oregon]], USA.]]
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[[Image:Red_Crossbill.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br>Photo by {{user|forcreeks|forcreeks}}.<br />Cabin Lake, [[Oregon]], USA.]]
 
;[[:Category:Loxia|Loxia]] curvirostra
 
;[[:Category:Loxia|Loxia]] curvirostra
 
Alternate name: Common Crossbill
 
Alternate name: Common Crossbill
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 +
Length 14-20 cm, weight 23-53 g<br>
 +
'''Male'''
 
*Medium-sized finch
 
*Medium-sized finch
 
*Red-orange body
 
*Red-orange body
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*Dark bill with crossed tip
 
*Dark bill with crossed tip
 
*Notched tail
 
*Notched tail
===Female===
+
'''Female'''
[[Image:Common_Crossbill_female_by_Mahsleb.jpg|thumb|350px|right|'''Female'''.  Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}.<br />Upper Hollesley Common, [[UK]], May 2012]]
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[[Image:Common_Crossbill_female_by_Mahsleb.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br>Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}.<br />Upper Hollesley Common, [[UK]], May 2012]]
 
*Yellow-orange crown and rump
 
*Yellow-orange crown and rump
 
*Olive-green body
 
*Olive-green body
 
*Grey-brown wings and tail
 
*Grey-brown wings and tail
===Juvenile===
+
'''Juvenile'''<br>
Streaked brown overall
+
Streaked greyer-brown overall
[[Image:Common_Crossbill_juvies_by_Mahsleb.jpg|thumb|350px|right|'''Juveniles'''.  Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}.<br />Upper Hollesley Common, [[UK]], May 2012]]
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[[Image:Common_Crossbill_juvies_by_Mahsleb.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juveniles<br>Photo by {{user|Mahsleb|Mahsleb}}.<br />Upper Hollesley Common, [[UK]], May 2012]]
  
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
Southern [[Alaska]], [[Manitoba]], [[Quebec]], and [[Newfoundland]], south in the west to northern [[Nicaragua]], and in eastern [[United States]] to [[Wisconsin]] and [[North Carolina]] (in mountains). This bird winters irregularly south to the Gulf coast.  
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Throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, almost wherever substantial conifer forests occur.
 +
 
 +
In the Old World, more-or-less continuous from [[Scotland]] east to the Pacific coast of [[Russia]], with more isolated populations south to northwest [[Africa]], the Mediterranean islands, [[Turkey]], the [[Himalaya]], southern [[Vietnam]], and [[Taiwan]].
 +
 
 +
In North America, from southern [[Alaska]], [[Manitoba]], [[Quebec]], and [[Newfoundland]], south in the west to northern [[Nicaragua]], and in eastern [[United States]] to [[Wisconsin]] and [[North Carolina]] (in mountains). This bird winters irregularly south to the Gulf coast.  
  
Also found in Eurasia.
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
Twenty-one subspecies are recognized<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
+
Twenty-one subspecies are recognised<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
 
*''L. c. curvirostra''
 
*''L. c. curvirostra''
 
*''L. c. corsicana''
 
*''L. c. corsicana''
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Coniferous forests
+
Coniferous forests, with a preference for spruce ''Picea'' in most areas, but pine ''Pinus'' in the case of some subspecies.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 
===Diet===
 
===Diet===
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==References==
 
==References==
 
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug11}}
 
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug11}}
 +
{{ref}}
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Loxia+curvirostra}}
 
{{GSearch|Loxia+curvirostra}}
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Loxia]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Loxia]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]

Revision as of 19:15, 4 December 2014

Male
Photo by forcreeks.
Cabin Lake, Oregon, USA.
Loxia curvirostra

Alternate name: Common Crossbill

Identification

Length 14-20 cm, weight 23-53 g
Male

  • Medium-sized finch
  • Red-orange body
  • Brighter red on rump
  • Dark brown wings
  • Dark bill with crossed tip
  • Notched tail

Female

Female
Photo by Mahsleb.
Upper Hollesley Common, UK, May 2012
  • Yellow-orange crown and rump
  • Olive-green body
  • Grey-brown wings and tail

Juvenile
Streaked greyer-brown overall

Juveniles
Photo by Mahsleb.
Upper Hollesley Common, UK, May 2012

Distribution

Throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere, almost wherever substantial conifer forests occur.

In the Old World, more-or-less continuous from Scotland east to the Pacific coast of Russia, with more isolated populations south to northwest Africa, the Mediterranean islands, Turkey, the Himalaya, southern Vietnam, and Taiwan.

In North America, from southern Alaska, Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland, south in the west to northern Nicaragua, and in eastern United States to Wisconsin and North Carolina (in mountains). This bird winters irregularly south to the Gulf coast.

Taxonomy

Twenty-one subspecies are recognised[1]:

  • L. c. curvirostra
  • L. c. corsicana
  • L. c. balearica
  • L. c. poliogyna
  • L. c. guillemardi
  • L. c. mariae
  • L. c. altaiensis
  • L. c. tianschanica
  • L. c. himalayensis
  • L. c. meridionalis
  • L. c. japonica
  • L. c. luzoniensis
  • L. c. bendirei
  • L. c. sitkensis
  • L. c. benti
  • L. c. minor
  • L. c. grinnelli
  • L. c. stricklandi
  • L. c. mesamericana
  • L. c. pusilla
  • L. c. sinesciuris

Habitat

Coniferous forests, with a preference for spruce Picea in most areas, but pine Pinus in the case of some subspecies.

Behaviour

Diet

They eat insects and the buds and seeds of many shrubs and trees but mainly conifers with not too large cones.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Loxia curvirostra (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist

Recommended Citation

External Links

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