Scottish Crossbill

The Scottish Crossbill, Loxia scotica, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

This bird breeds only in the Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris, forests of Scotland, and is the only species endemic to Great Britain. Its taxonomic status is controversial, and it is often considered a race of Common Crossbill or Parrot Crossbill, both of which breed within its range. The population is less than 2000 birds. It nests in pines, laying 2-5 eggs.

This crossbill is resident, and is not known to migrate. This species will form flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with other crossbills.

The crossbills are characterised by the mandibles crossing at their tips, which gives the group its English name. They are specialist feeders on conifer cones, and the unusual bill shape is an adaptation to assist the extraction of the seeds from the cone. The Scottish Crossbill is a specialist feeder on the cones of Scots Pine.

Adult males tend to be red or orange in colour, and females green or yellow, but there is much variation.

This species is difficult to separate from Common and Parrot, and plumage distinctions are negligible. The head and bill size is intermediate between the other species, and care is needed to identify this species. The metallic jip call is probably the best indicator.