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Red Crossbill? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jnealy
- Start date
pinky & rosie
I apologise for my lack of knowledge!!!
certainly looks like it to me! but i'd wait for another opinion 
tim.birdboy
Well-known member
Yes, a Red Crossbill. The only other crossbill species in the US is the White-winged Crossbill, and they obviously have white wing-bars.
Nice photos!
Nice photos!
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
The only other North American Crossbill species is white-winged, Nick, so this must be Red Crossbill.
As Nick says, Crossbills are nomadic and don't really follow any set migration pattern - they just follow the cone crop. That said, I would imagine getting as far south and east as Georgia in late summer is pretty unusual. Hope some US birders can comment on how unusual.
Graham
Storm-Petrel
registered dude
Yup, red crossbill. lets hope they don't split it into 8 different species!!!
maybe a crossbill expert will come to this thread and tell you which type it is.
looks like its a fairly large-billed type.
maybe a crossbill expert will come to this thread and tell you which type it is.
looks like its a fairly large-billed type.
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
Yup, red crossbill. lets hope they don't split it into 8 different species!!!
maybe a crossbill expert will come to this thread and tell you which type it is.
looks like its a fairly large-billed type.
I don't think anyone will (or even can) determine which type it is without a good recording of its calls.
Red Crossbills are more or less resident in the higher Appalachian Mountains. According to bird checklist data, Red Crossbill is uncommon all year in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest, which are not too far to the north between Tennessee and North Carolina. This one in the photo may be wandering as they tend to do, but the northern Georgia mountains seems like a likely place for it to wander to.
Thanks for all of the information! He is still on the feeder - I am looking at him right now!
The other thing I'm curious about is that my Sibley guide says they are "always in flocks." This little guy appears to be all alone. He seems to be hungry and tired - he's been enjoying the sunflower seeds for close to an hour now, and has been just sitting still on the feeder now for quite some time.
Our home is at 3000' elevation so I guess this would be a good place for him to be.
The other thing I'm curious about is that my Sibley guide says they are "always in flocks." This little guy appears to be all alone. He seems to be hungry and tired - he's been enjoying the sunflower seeds for close to an hour now, and has been just sitting still on the feeder now for quite some time.
Our home is at 3000' elevation so I guess this would be a good place for him to be.
Dougie Preston
I live for this S**T
Yes they don't always occur in flocks, esp when there are movements or migration in progress. During the breeding season I've only ever seen pairs or small flocks, but on migration individuals aren't uncommon.
Just be glad you only have 2 species in the US just now, as we have 4 species turning up in the UK (one rare) and the only one you can id on a fleeting glimpse is the rare one, it figures eh!!!
Just be glad you only have 2 species in the US just now, as we have 4 species turning up in the UK (one rare) and the only one you can id on a fleeting glimpse is the rare one, it figures eh!!!
Gentoo
Guest
Medium-large Red Crossbill L. (c.) pusilla**
Mexican Giant Crossbill L. (c.) stricklandi**
I've heard are up for review for species status.
Dougie Preston
I live for this S**T
God help us all if they are all split as some people are suggesting, as there seems to be dozens of so called species, which to most, will all look the bloody same!
Clive Watson
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit ampheta
It's certainly a Red Crossbill sp. and I'm certainly not going to comment on the intricacies of crossbill taxonomy. I just wish I had them on my feeder!
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
There is some useful information about the N American Red Crossbill 'types'/species here:
http://research.amnh.org/ornithology/crossbills/nathist.html
http://research.amnh.org/ornithology/crossbills/nathist.html
Get me a sound recording and I'll ID it for you. Even a (bad) sound recording from a camera, MP3, etc and I should be able to do it ! They should give calls as they fly off, sometimes while perched, and give a "toop" when they are excited or alarmed. I have all the US stuff on crossbill calls on hand to reference, though would strugle with songs.
Possibly a pusilla on geo. range but bill to me looks like pretty thin (esp.lower mandible) ala a spruce or fir specialist rather than pine ? It is definitely an errupting bird so someone over you side of the pond will be interested in this record.
Lindsay
Possibly a pusilla on geo. range but bill to me looks like pretty thin (esp.lower mandible) ala a spruce or fir specialist rather than pine ? It is definitely an errupting bird so someone over you side of the pond will be interested in this record.
Lindsay
Griffin - thanks for the offer. Unfortunately I have not seem him again, but I will keep an eye out and try to get a recording if I do. I did report the sighting on eBird and also told a neighbor who is a birder and active in the birding community, she was excited by it also.
Fingers crossed that he comes back!
Fingers crossed that he comes back!
