The Red Crossbill

Yes, it's not a great photograph. This, however, is the best shot I ever got of a red crossbill. I have only seen the species once, and I don't even remember the moment (how sad is that?). I shot this back in 2008 with a Nikon D200, a 10-megapixel camera that was OK for its time but has been vastly improved upon. The lens I was using at the time was a Nikon 300 mm prime f/4.0 lens. Again, a nice lens for the time but pales in comparison to what is available today. It had no VR (vibration reduction), and the 1/30th of a second shutter speed would have allowed an excellent rendering if modern technology had been used. It makes me wonder how much better the equipment will be in another 12 years.

There is something marvelous to be said about the photograph though. The first is that it allowed me to identify the species. A field book and note pad could probably not have allowed me to capture the information needed for proper identification. Then there is the fact that I may not be sure of what I saw because there are other species that may have a similar appearance. A photo, even one with modest blur, is often all the proof you need that you saw what you thought you saw.

Something else I didn't know at the time, but the hollowed out-log is probably the bird's nest. The red bird is the male, the female is just behind him and to the bottom right of the image. You can see her in the image below; again a lousy shot but proof enough that it was a remarkable moment. If you want to get a better look at the bird, go to this website. The female is yellow in colour; the contrasting pair would make an amazing sight.
Crossbills feed primarily on the seeds of conifers. They will also take berries, buds, and insects. They are year-round residents; their breeding occurs based on the supply of food rather than the time of year. There is something like eight subspecies within the continent with slightly different sizes, bill shapes, and calls. Scientists are not certain if they can be broken up into different species as there is little intermixing of the populations. As a biologist, I can appreciate the fact that geographic separation and differentiation within a species will eventually lead to speciation. Amazing.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen

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