Crossbill
This is a female Crossbill showing the characteristic crossed over mandibles which they use to prise open the woody scales of conifer cones to extract the nutritious seed nestled inside. While the bill opens up the woody scales they use their tongues to reach the seed. Females and young birds are green, rather like a Greenfinch, although very young birds are grey and streaky. Male Crossbills are red, and both males and females have a brighter patch of colour on the rump, which is easiest to see when they fly. I see lots of Crossbills in the Pennines where I live, but almost every one I have seen I have heard first. They have a "jip jip jip" contact call which to me does not sound like any other bird. They call a lot, both in flight and when they have landed in trees.
Crossbill
This is a female Crossbill showing the characteristic crossed over mandibles which they use to prise open the woody scales of conifer cones to extract the nutritious seed nestled inside. While the bill opens up the woody scales they use their tongues to reach the seed. Females and young birds are green, rather like a Greenfinch, although very young birds are grey and streaky. Male Crossbills are red, and both males and females have a brighter patch of colour on the rump, which is easiest to see when they fly. I see lots of Crossbills in the Pennines where I live, but almost every one I have seen I have heard first. They have a "jip jip jip" contact call which to me does not sound like any other bird. They call a lot, both in flight and when they have landed in trees.