^otes from JFielti ant) ^tutip 



The American Crossbilll 



Although the American Crossbill may 

 not be considered rare, it is one of our 

 most remarkable and erratic birds, and 

 there is a great deal of fascination in fol- 

 lowing it to its haunts. To be sure of 

 seeing this strange bird at home, we must 

 go to some of the wildest places, and even 

 then, owing to its erratic and uncertain 

 behavior, must be prepared for many dis- 

 appointments, for the phrases 'rare inter- 

 vals' and 'irregular' occur with annoying 

 frequency in all our records of it which I 

 have been able to examine. There are few 

 places within its range with suitable trees 

 where the bird has not been recorded at 

 one time or another, for it is a great wan- 

 derer in winter. I have known of it nest- 

 ing near Wolfville, Nova Scotia, in Mani- 

 toba, close to where I am writing, in the 

 Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, and in some 

 parts of British Columbia. 



I made an expedition to Red Deer, 



Alberta, some years ago, hearing that 

 Crossbills were frequenting the tree-co ve- 

 ered slopes of the 'divides,' but, although 

 I stayed well into the breeding-season, did 

 not find a nest, and suddenly the birds 

 disappeared. Wherever there are ever- 

 green trees, the birds will appear sooner 

 or later, but that is as definite as it is safe 

 to be. 



This bird, of course, takes its name 

 from the crossing of its two strong, curved 

 mandibles, which, combined with the 

 brilliant scarlet, yellow, or green plumage, 

 gives it a truly remarkable Parrot-like 

 appearance. This resemblance is not con- 

 fined to appearance alone, but extends to 

 habits also, for the Crossbill uses both bill 

 and feet when climbing and is as fully 

 qualified an acrobat as any Parrot I ever 

 saw. I used to think the Chickadee one 

 of our most agile birds, but it must retire 

 to second place when a Crossbill comes 

 along. 



The remarkable development of the 



YOUNG RED CROSSBILLS 

 Photographed by H. and E. Pittman 



(332) 



