Wanderer: Breeds in years with good spruce/fir cone crops, and seemingly at any time of year including midwinter. Otherwise prospecting individuals are and throughout the year but unless there are good numbers of cones, they don’t linger. The species also utilizes the cones of various pine species but very rarely visits birdfeeders. Interestingly Red Crossbill bills can cross either to the left or the right.
Miscellany: In years with abundant cones, Red Crossbills can be among the most audible birds with their hard ‘jip-jip’ calls notes seemingly everywhere as small flock fly around in search of food.
Red Crossbills have differing calls across the country and these call types, 10 in all, tend to stick together. Some think these are all different species and one, Type 9, has already been elevated to full species status, Cassia Crossbill (Loxia sinesciurus). Six call types have been recorded in Maine - type 10 is the most common in our area - but separation is tricky. Observers wanting to report a call type should send a sound recording to info@finchnetwork.com. They'll identify the call type and let you know.
Last Updated: July 16th, 2022