Crossbills

I'd hoped do find some white-winged crossbills at Salisbury too, but they did not show themselves today. ❋ Unknown (2009)

And the crossbills have added their bulk, at least eight for sure and probably twice that. ❋ Jhetley (2009)

Then it was on to Salisbury Beach campground in hopes of white-winged crossbills or Lapland longspurs or who knows what. ❋ Unknown (2009)

I had hoped to enter our Whole Hells of Birds into their statistical universe, as several of the species redpolls, crossbills, and siskins are only occasional visitors to our shores. ❋ Jhetley (2009)

But no sign of the swarming masses redpolls, siskins, crossbills this morning. ❋ Jhetley (2009)

A similar nomadic lifestyle is found in small passerine seed-eating birds such as redpolls and crossbills (Loxia spp.) in the forest tundra. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The researchers examined the carotenoid content of the liver, blood, skin and feathers of seven common crossbills finches in which adult males display carotenoid-based coloration on the throat, breast and rump. ❋ Unknown (2009)

I keep expecting them and the siskins and crossbills to vanish -- like Attilla's Golden Horde or the passenger pigeons, such a rapacious lifestyle requires moving on to pastures new every now and then. ❋ Jhetley (2009)

Periodic raids by the Hun Horde redpolls, siskins, crossbills, and goldfinches on our resources. ❋ Jhetley (2009)

In with the miscellaneous finches Wife says that pine siskins and redpolls are also finches we had at least six white-winged crossbills. ❋ Jhetley (2009)

Atlantis had several species of crossbills and grosbeaks: birds with bills that seemed made for getting seeds out of cones and disposing of them afterwards. ❋ Dozois, Gardner (2006)

Red squirrels and red crossbills are specially adapted to neatly extract the seed. ❋ Janine M. Benyus (1989)

Witley sends a case of crossbills; twenty years ago a pair of hen harriers -- or are they Montagu's harriers? ❋ Eric Parker (1912)

Here I reposed awhile, watching the crossbills, wondrously tame, at work among the branches overhead, and the emerald lizard peering out of the bracken at my side. ❋ Norman Douglas (1910)

A flock of crossbills went whistling overhead, coming from the same direction. ❋ William Joseph Long (1909)

A great flock of crossbills swooped down into the spruces, and stopped whistling in their astonishment. ❋ William Joseph Long (1909)