The Ultimate NOMADS

RANDOM MIGRATIONS ARE JUST ONE CROSSBILL QUIRK LEARN MORE FUN ODDITIES OF THESE WANDERING SPECIES.

- KENN AND KIMBERLY KAUFMAN

Walking into a pine grove, you hear soft, unfamiliar calls overhead. Looking up, you see a dozen small birds clambering about over the pine cones, acting like tiny parrots. Some are red, some are dull yellow-green. Take a good look: These are crossbills, and they may stay put for a month or maybe a hundred miles away tomorrow. Two species, red crossbill and white-winged crossbill, are widespread in North America. And they’re among the most unusual birds in the world.

UNIQUE BEAKS

When you look at a crossbill’s face, it’s obvious how it got its name. The bill is thick at the base, but the mandibles cross over each other instead of meeting at their narrow tips. This shape would be awkward for picking up most items, but it’s perfect for one thing—prying open the cones of pines, spruces, hemlocks and other evergreens.