Red Crossbill
RED CROSSBILL
Loxia curvirostra
Family Fringillidae
L 140mm (5 1/2")
resident, common
Bird # 402 - March 2013
Red Crossbills have a unique bill that is crossed at the tip that they use to extract pine cone seeds. According to the Kennedy Guide, the birds are "unmistakeable but variable often only slightly tinged red, imm is dark, heavily streaked". One of the ones we photographed looks yellow.
These birds are "restricted to pine forest in the Cordillera and Zambales Mts." They travel in flocks. They used to be common in Mt. Polis, Banaue but we were not able to see them there. We were told by some locals that they are considered bad luck, probably because of their strange appearance. There are many pine trees in Bessang Pass and it was good to see them there. There were about 9 birds in the flock that we saw.
Read MoreLoxia curvirostra
Family Fringillidae
L 140mm (5 1/2")
resident, common
Bird # 402 - March 2013
Red Crossbills have a unique bill that is crossed at the tip that they use to extract pine cone seeds. According to the Kennedy Guide, the birds are "unmistakeable but variable often only slightly tinged red, imm is dark, heavily streaked". One of the ones we photographed looks yellow.
These birds are "restricted to pine forest in the Cordillera and Zambales Mts." They travel in flocks. They used to be common in Mt. Polis, Banaue but we were not able to see them there. We were told by some locals that they are considered bad luck, probably because of their strange appearance. There are many pine trees in Bessang Pass and it was good to see them there. There were about 9 birds in the flock that we saw.
RED CROSSBILL, immature Loxia curvirostra Bessang Pass, Ilocos Sur
