200. 1. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. Common Crossbill.
Male dull light red, inclining to vermilion; the wings and tail blackish-brown, the feathers narrowly margined with dull red. Female with the upper parts greyish-brown, tinged with green, the rump dull greenish-yellow, the sides of the head and neck of the same colour as the back, the lower parts pale greyish-yellow, brighter on the fore part of the breast, wings and tail as in the male, but the feathers edged with dull yellowish. Young with the central part of the feathers greyish-brown, the edges yellowish-grey, the upper parts thus appearing spotted, the lower streaked with dusky. Young males vary in the tints of the plumage from yellowish-green to orange and vermilion.
From Maryland eastward and northward, to lat. 52. Breeds in Pennsylvania, New York, and the north-eastern States to Nova Scotia. Common. Migratory.
American Crossbill, Curvirostra americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 44.
Common Crossbill, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 583.
Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 559; v. v. p. 511.
201. 2. Loxia leucoptera, Gmel. White-winged Crossbill.
Bill excessively compressed, with the mandibles less curved. Male rich carmine, inclining to crimson; the feathers on the fore part and middle of the back dusky, excepting the tips; the scapulars, wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail black; two broad bands of white on the wings, the anterior formed by the first row of small coverts, and several of those adjoining, the other by the secondary coverts, of which the basal half only is black. Female with the feathers of the upper parts dusky, edged with greyish-yellow, the rump wax-yellow; the wings and tail as in the male, but with the white bands of less breadth; lower parts yellowish-grey, streaked with dusky, the fore part of the breast wax-yellow. Young similar to the female, but with the lower parts dull yellowish-grey, spotted and streaked with dark brown.
_Male_, 6-1/2, 10-5/8. _Female_, 6-1/4, 10.
During winter, as far south as Maryland. Not uncommon in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where a few breed. Common in Maine, Nova Scotia, Labrador, and the Fur Countries. Migratory.
White-winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 48.