This Week in the Woods, we spotted a red crossbill, shown here in silhouette far, far away on the top of a tree, where he’d been calling incessantly. In the silhouette, you can easily discern the bird’s misaligned, hooked bills, which are perfectly suited for efficient harvesting of seeds from conifer cones. As quoted in this article by Chris Rimmer in the winter issue of Northern Woodlands, Audubon’s Kenn Kaufman estimated that a white-winged crossbill can harvest 3,000 conifer seeds in a single day.
As Rimmer notes, both red and white-winged crossbills may be conspicuous in our region this winter, attracted by a white pine and spruce cone “boom year.” They may even be raising chicks here. Crossbills’ dependence on conifer seeds extends to their breeding cycle. When the food is abundant, they’ll mate and raise young in even the coldest months of winter. We don’t know if this bird was seeking a mate, but the way he was carrying on at the top of a tree, he sure seemed determined to get someone’s attention.
Finally, with this weekend’s snow, now is a great time to notice wildlife tracks. This photo shows a mouse “zipper” or “hearts-on-a-chain” pattern, with alternating tail drag and foot impressions.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.