Crossing paths with the crossbill

VISITING the woods above Glendalough last week, I came upon some of Ireland’s most elusive birds; crossbills were feeding in a spruce tree.

The crossbill, it has to be said, won’t win any beauty competitions. Slightly bigger than a greenfinch, rather plump and thick-necked, it vaguely resembles a parrot. Adult males are dull red all over except for their wings which are grey-brown. Females are greyish green with bright yellow rumps.

The bird’s most distinguishing feature, however, is its extraordinary bill. The tip of the upper mandible curves downwards like a hawk’s. The lower one curves upwards. The tips don’t meet but slide past each other giving the impression that the beak is deformed. The flight pattern is distinctive; crossbills have a high-pitched ‘glip-glip’ flight call. They don’t bounce up and down in the air as much as other finches do.