File:Bird lore (1908) (14564257869).jpg

Identifier: birdlore101908nati (find matches)
Title: Bird lore
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: National Committee of the Audubon Societies of America National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals National Audubon Society
Subjects: Birds Birds Ornithology
Publisher: New York City : Macmillan Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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this rustling being caused by the shelling off of the cone scales, as the Crossbills feed upon the seeds that lie between. As for the bird itself, or rather birds, for, as often happens, a mixed flock has settled among the spruces. Few of the white-winged species are mingled with their more plentiful wholly red brothers, while the mottled olive-green of the females and young of both species make the party consist not of birds of a feather, but of three distinct plumages, enough in itself to confuse the novice who is gazing at the first Crossbill of his experience. Let us stand off a bit, back braced firmly against a tree, and examine the nearest bird in detail, as he hangs, head downward, on a long cone Appearance with all the nonchalance of the up-side-down Chickadee. In length the Red Crossbill is a trifle smaller than the English Sparrow; the body of the male is a dull brick-red, brighter on the rump and rusty in the middle of the back, shading to lead-gray or fuscous on the wings. The (270)
Text Appearing After Image:
RED CROSSBILL Order—Passer es Genus—Loxia Family—Fringillid-c Species—Curvi rostra minor American and White-Winged Crossbills 271 female is of a dull olive-green, with dark mottlings on head and back and some white below; while the young may be marked like the female or show a mixture of red and green. But one characteristic marks alike male, female and young, telling you their family name as plainly as the Chickadee calls his name—the tips of the beak, or mandibles, are crossed as if they had been wrenched out of joint. There is no other species of bird with a beak precisely like this. Parrot-like is a term frequently applied to the Crossbills, but though they live in flocks and climb about using their claws very much like hands, in parrot-fashion, the likeness does not extend to their beaks. The upper half of the hooked bill of the Parrot closes over the lower so as to almost conceal it, but lacks the warp that names the Crossbills. So much for identification. This Red Crossbill is u

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