Red Crossbill

Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) is in the Finches, Euphonias, and Allies family (Fringillidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 8,415 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Red Crossbill: observations by month (U.S.)

About Red Crossbill

The red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae, also known as the common crossbill in Eurasia. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other fruits.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Red Crossbill by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)

House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus

American GoldfinchSpinus tristis

Lesser GoldfinchSpinus psaltria

Pine SiskinSpinus pinus

Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus

Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertina

Cassin's FinchHaemorhous cassinii

RedpollAcanthis flammea

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ