American Crossbill 333 



northern portions of the Old and New Worlds, extending south along 

 high mountain ranges, especially where there are pine forests. Three 

 forms have been met with in Colorado. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Wing without white bars. 



a. Smaller; wing 3 5; bill shorter, culmen -TO. L. c. minor, p. 333. 



b. Larger ; wing 3-8 ; bill longer, culmen -90. 



L. c. stricklandi, p. 334. 



B. Wing with two white cross-bars. L. leucoptera, p. 334. 



American Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra minor. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 521 — Colorado Records (including those of L. c. 

 stricklandi) — Trippe 74, p. 109 ; Henshaw 75, p. 248 ; Scott 79, p. 93 ; 

 Minot 80, p. 229 ; Drew 81, p. 143 ; 85, p. 16 ; Allen & Brewster 83, 

 p. 160 ; Morrison 87, p. 35 ; 88, p. 73 ; 89, p. 149 ; Kellogg 90, p. 88 ; 

 Breninger 94, p. 99 ; Cooke 97, pp. 97, 212 ; Henderson 03, p. 236 ; 

 07, p. 440 ; 09, p. 235 ; Gilman 07, p. 156. 



Description. — Male — General colour dull red, brightest on the rump, 

 becoming plain dusky on the wings and tail ; below, the reddish 

 becomes dusky grey on the abdomen, while the vmder tail-coverts are 

 pale dusky edged with whitish ; iris brown, bill horn, legs dvisky 

 brown ; the intensity and amoiint of red vary a good deal, and some 

 birds breed while still in immature plumage. Length 5-5 ; wing 3-5 ; 

 taU 2-30 ; culmen -70 ; tarsus -70. 



In the female the red is replaced by oUve-yellow, which becomes 

 quite bright yellow on the rump, but is often little more than a thin 

 wash on the rest of the body. It is also slightly smaller (wing 3 to 4). 

 Young birds are like the female, but at first have bills like other Finches ; 

 the fvUly crossed mandibles are attained at about six months. 



Distribution. — The American Crossbill is found breeding throughout 

 the northern parts of North America and the mountains further south, 

 more especially among the coniferous forests, from Alaska to the Sierra 

 Nevada, Colorado, and the Alleghanies of northern Georgia, wintering 

 at lower elevations and fiu"ther south to New Orleans, New Mexico 

 and the coast districts of California. 



In Colorado the Crossbill is a resident, and is chiefly to be seen in 

 the pine woods along the foothills and at lower elevations up to 8,000 

 feet, though roving parties may be met with almost anywhere at any 

 time of the year up to timber line and even out on the plains. 

 Cooke saw a young bird near Lamar in July over 100 miles from the 

 mountains. 



Habits. — Except during the breeding season the 

 Crossbill is always m flocks, wandering irregularly over 



