| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Also known as: '''Two-barred Crossbill''' | Also known as: '''Two-barred Crossbill''' | ||
| + | |||
;[[:Category:Loxia|Loxia]] leucoptera | ;[[:Category:Loxia|Loxia]] leucoptera | ||
Revision as of 08:47, 12 August 2008
Also known as: Two-barred Crossbill
- Loxia leucoptera
Identification
- Rich carmine color inclining to crimson
- Dark reddish-brown feet
- Dusky-colored feathers and tail
- Two broad white wing bars
- Brownish sides
Female
- Dusky upper parts
- Yellowish-gray under parts streaked and dusky
- Wings and tail similar to male, but paler
Immature
Resemble female, but under parts are dull yellowish gray, spotted and streaked in dark brown
Distribution & Taxonomy
The nominate subspecies breeds in northern North America from Alaska to eastern Canada and northern USA while subspecies bifasciata breeds in northern Europe and Asia.
Winters a little farther south.
Habitat
Behaviour
This is one of several species of Crossbills and other birds that exhibit eruptive behavior: they may be resident for several years in a breeding area but are then induced by unfavorable environmental factors to migrate in numbers to areas in which they otherwise are absent.
