THE CROSSBILL 



LOXIA CURFIROSTRA 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : A rather rare and local 

 resident, breeding in many districts, especially in Scotland, 

 but best known as an irregular wanderer in winter in 

 small flocks. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : Of all the species that pay casual visits to the 

 Metropolitan area the Crossbill is one of the most erratic 

 and irregular. It has been known to breed in at least 

 three of the Metropolitan counties Surrey, Kent, and 

 Essex but I am not aware of any reliable instance within 

 the fifteen-mile radius. It is only as an autumn and winter 

 visitor that the Crossbill, at uncertain intervals, is ob- 

 served within the suburbs of the Metropolis. It has then 

 been recorded from Norwood, Dulwich, and Wimbledon, 

 south of the Thames, and from Epping, Hampstead, and 

 the Harrow district north of that river. The Crossbill 

 is a bird that cannot easily be mistaken or overlooked ; 

 consequently we must attribute the paucity of records 

 to its scarcity. It may appear any season, and in unusual 

 numbers, like the Waxwing, and its absence hitherto 

 from a locality cannot be taken as an indication that 

 the bird is not likely to visit it. 



The bird-lover fortunate enough to meet with the 

 Crossbill within the London area will experience no 

 difficulty in identifying it by its crossed mandibles. It is 

 also by no means shy during its winter sojourn in our 

 southern counties, over which it roams in parties, or 

 larger flocks. Indeed, at all times this species seems 

 more or less gregarious, and even in summer parties of 

 male birds have frequently been observed. In their 

 actions on the trees they closely resemble Tits or Siskins, 



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