Family Finches (Fringillidae)
Least Concern
Parrot Crossbill (Loxia pytyopsittacus)
Taxonomy
French: Bec-croisé perroquet German: Kiefernkreuzschnabel Spanish: Piquituerto lorito
Taxonomy:
Loxia pytyopsittacus
Borkhausen
, 1793,Sweden
.Distribution:
NE Scotland, Fennoscandia, Estonia and N Latvia S to E Lithuania and (rare) extreme E Poland, E to SW Siberia (R Pechora).
Descriptive notes
17–18 cm; 44–69 g. Medium-large, large-headed and bull-necked, short-legged and short-tailed finch with distinctive crossed mandibles. Male has forehead to crown... read more
Voice
Calls extremely similar to those of L. curvirostra, differ only in variations in timbre,... read more
Habitat
Lowland pine forests and woodlands, principally tall, mature and open woodlands of Scots pine (... read more
Food and feeding
Diet includes seeds, buds, shoots, mostly of pines (particularly Scots pine) and spruce, also larch, poplar (Populus), alder (... read more
Breeding
Season Dec to late Jun, laying mostly mid-Mar to mid-Apr, timing determined largely by availability of pine seeds; two broods. Probably... read more
Movements
Resident, migratory and occasionally irruptive. Most movements local and of short distance to new... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally common in NW of range; scarce or rare elsewhere. European breeding population between 56,000 and 190,000 pairs, most in... read more
Forms a species group with L. curvirostra and L. scotica, and all have sometimes been considered conspecific. Has hybridized with former, and recently found to hybridize with L. scotica. Recent genetic studies indicate limited differences between the three in Europe, indicating that they are not in total reproductive isolation, but differences in bill size and in flight and excitement calls considered sufficient to restrict widespread interbreeding; further research required (see under L. scotica). Monotypic.