Crossbill

Name: Crossbill

Scientific name: Loxia curvirostra

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 70

What are nature stars?

About: A large finch of conifer woodlands: about 16cm long. Crossbills eat the seeds out of pine cones, using their bizarre cross-tipped bills to prise them out.

How to identify: Difficult to see well when they spend most of their time at the top of pine trees, but if seen well the crossed bill tips make this an unmistakeable bird. Males are brick red, females greenish grey.

Where: Widespread in conifer forests

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 10
• Agility: 60
• Rarity: 60
• Cute factor: 60
• Traveller: 70

Fantastic fact: Crossbills nest very early in the year, hatching their chicks in February and March to take advantage of the new crop of pine cones.

Photograph credit: Photo credit tbc