"The Crossbill" Key Ring

The crossbill is a genus, Loxia, of birds in the finch family (Fringillidae) These birds are characterised by the mandibles with crossed tips, which gives the group its English name. Adult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation. Crossbills are specialist feeders on conifer cones, and the unusual bill shape enables them to extract seeds from cones. These birds are typically found in higher northern hemisphere latitudes, where their food sources grows.