White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Birds of Nova Scotia - White-winged Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Loxia leucoptera
Gmelin
Status
Irregular, fairly common resident. Breeds. It has two distinct breeding seasons: early January to late April and early July to late September. Although it occurs most often during those months, wandering flocks may be seen at any time of year. It shows a strong preference for coniferous forests but is occasionally seen elsewhere. James C. Morrow saw a flock of 10-12 White-winged Crossbills feeding on tiny caterpillars on an infested oak in Halifax on 3 June 1951. From 1955 on, flocks of 20-150 birds were commonly seen. One very large invasion occurred on 23 February 1963, when Charles R.K. Allen and Lloyd B. Macpherson came upon "many thousands" of White-winged Crossbills eating white spruce seeds and later recounted that "the sound of the scales dropping all around was like a heavy rain." Such a flock has not occurred here since, but the species is still present and widely scattered over the province; flocks of 10-50 birds have been found during all seasons but most often in the winter months.
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