Ii8 Land Birds of New England 



63. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL 



{Loxia leiicoptera^) 



Male : dull rosy red, brownish on back ; wings and tail dark 

 brown; wing with two white crossbars. Beak large and strong, 

 the upper part shutting against the side of the lower one, as in 

 scissor blades. Bird about the size of a sparrow. Female: 

 upper parts yellow-brown ; rump yellow ; under parts yellow- 

 gray ; wing with two white bars. 



THE white-winged crossbill frequents cone-bear- 

 ing trees, and has much the same habits as the 

 American. It is, like that, an erratic winter visitor, 

 but it is much less common. 



Breeding is not known to occur in southern 

 New England. The nest is built in deep woods, 

 usually in a cone-bearing tree. Chamberlain speaks 

 of finding nests in New Brunswick in January and 

 February, so that it is possible that this species 

 may have the same habit of occasional winter- 

 breeding which marks the American crossbill. 



The song is said by Brewer to be " irregular and 

 varied, but sweet and musical." 



