Crossbill

Crossbill
Red crossbill or common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Fringillidae
Subfamily:	Carduelinae
Genus:	Loxia Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Loxia curvirostra
Species
Loxia curvirostra Loxia leucoptera Loxia megaplaga Loxia pytyopsittacus Loxia scotia Loxia sinesciuris

Crossbills are birds of the genus Loxia within the finch family (Fringillidae), with six species. These birds are characterized by the mandibles with crossed tips, which gives the group its English name. Adult males tend to be red or orange in color, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation.

Crossbills are specialist feeders on conifer cones, and the unusual bill shape is an adaptation which enables them to extract seeds from cones. These birds are typically found in higher northern hemisphere latitudes, where their food sources grow. They irrupt out of the breeding range when the cone crop fails. Crossbills breed very early in the year, often in winter months, to take advantage of maximum cone supplies.