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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Crossbill sp (1 Viewer)

griffin
female at pond first then picking up possibly grit from heap. No sign of nest material gathering. Hardly saw male as you can gather from photo.
Thanks for responces 'always a learning curve'
Dave

Cheers Dave.

At this time of year females will grub about on the ground looking for minerals and bones for calcium - this is what you saw I think.

Check the pic in my second post for comparison with your male. I should add for anyone who is concerned about the ethics of the photograph that this is not a 'trophy' shot. We are collating profiles of all crossbills that are caught, side on with the tip showing, in order to build up a comprehensive database of images of birds of known biometrics ( and calls). I am offering this photo here in a educational context.

The hold that the bird is in is known as the ringers grip - it is secure, safe and comfortable for the bird and is the same as used by vets when handling small birds.

Lindsay
 
the bill on the female lacks the bulge on the lower mandible that Parrot shows

Linz, are Parrots not usually a bit 'greyer' too? And with a different (brighter, more crimson?) red?

Hiya Tim,

I believe the colour of crossbills plumage is primarily dependant on what pigments they absorb in their food. In Scotland, Parrot males tend to be a 'dusky' grey-orange in breeding plumage. Commons are more 'red', often pillar box. Scottish, in my experience can be either, but mainly orangey, possibly as they will feed on Sitka and Scots Pine depending on location and availability ?

This is confused further by young birds that are in the various stages of moulting to full adult plumage - hence the 'golden cocks' ( don't google it ! ). I actually had a singing 'golden cock' Scottish Crossbill last April in a native pinewood - got the Ec's, Fc's and song so a stonewaller........but if I didn't know the calls (and verify them from a recording) I'd have said it was a 'Common' -it must have been scoffing sitka all Winter ! ( last year was a bumper Sitka crop).


Linz
 
If It does'nt then you can't rule out Parrot for the 1st pics ;)

just for the record ive never seen Common with a bill that size so i can understand why the bird was put here in the 1st place!!

There has been a spate of 'large-billed' crossbills reported over the last year. What with the Dutch and German Parrot fest going on everyone is 'on the look' for Parrots in their local patch. Same thing happened a few years ago with the Northern Bullfinch 'invasion'.

As from the photo in my post #15 larger billed common type birds can and do occur. 11.2mm is not necessarily that big but most are 10 something, with some upper 9mm.Scottish is approx 11.7 mean.

Commons are confused with Parrots and vice versa much more than you think:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=66820&highlight=crossbills

Puts the whole scotica thing in perspective, eh ?

The first two birds in this thread are Commons though, the male looking like the one I am holding in post #15.

Lindsay
 
LINZ, do you have any data from the growth of bill in juvenile birds in these species? How old are the birds, when they have full grow bills?
 
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