Tag Archives: Krossnefur

Birds

Crossbills and pine cones

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

In Grímsnes, South Iceland, the Crossbills are busy eating seed from the cones of the Pinus contorta tree. Although the cones have not yet opened properly they manage to get to the seeds. They use their distinctively shaped beak, which they get their name from, to open the cones and with their tongue they fish the seed or nut out.

The Contorta pine goes under several names such as Lodgepole pine, Shore pine and also Twisted pine. The Common Crossbill usually prefers seed from spruce cones but in South Iceland there are more pines than spruces so pine seeds are their main food source, at least in the spring.

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Birds

Feeding the females before breeding

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

It is mating time for the Common Crossbill, also called Red Crossbill. The males eagerly find food for the females and feed them to their apparent delight.

The Crossbills breed very early, sometimes in the middle of winter if there is enough feed and that seems to be the case now. People also put out seeds for them which hopefully makes life a little bit easier.

That is the case here where these photos are taken yesterday in the last week of January. Some visit their summerhouses all year round and part of the enjoyment is observing nature and the transformations that come with the changing seasons, – and the bird life is often at the top of the list.

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Crossbill with chicks

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra juv.

The first Common Crossbills are now with chicks. They breed very early, sometimes in the middle of winter if there is enough feed. Yesterday I found three week-old chicks on my walk in spruce and pine forests in Grímsnes, South Iceland. In previous years the first chicks have also appeared at this time of year, in the latter part of April.

Common Crossbill, male
Common Crossbill, male

The photos are of the chick and the parents.

Common Crossbill, female
Common Crossbill, female
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Birds

The colours catch the eye

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

In the last few weeks a pair of Common Crossbills have visited the garden regularly. The male is especially beautiful with its orange and yellow patches on the breast and head.

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Male Common Crossbills come in different colours of red, orange and yellow. The yellow colour is rare in Iceland and in West Europe but more common in Mid Asia. The colours are due to genes and food.

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This pair probably bred in Selfoss last spring and brought three young ones to our garden. Now it seems they have arrived in their breeding territory from last year. We are excited to see if they turn up in our garden in May with their chicks.

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Birds

Singing in January

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra – young male

I found some Common Crossbills on my walk in Grímsnes, South Iceland, last week. One male was already singing. In the last few years the Common Crossbills have started breeding in spruce and pine forests in February although it is still winter.

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Common Crossbill – female

It will be interesting to see if this will also be the case this winter. We will be keeping an eye on them.

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Common Crossbill – male
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Early in the morning

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

This Common Crossbill pair was here in the beginning of summer with three chicks. They are in the garden again, now with two other chicks. Early in the morning they come to eat the sunflower seeds that we put out for our feathered friends.  These former vagrants have in the past six to seven years made Iceland their home.

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Birds

Crossbills always attract attention

Today we had six Common Crossbills or  Red Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra)  in the garden, both males and females. In the last year they have become regular guests here in our garden.

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill /Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra (female)

These colorurful birds always attract our attention when they turn up. The photoes were taken yesterday, March 12.

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill /Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra (male)
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Birds, Garden

Crossbills in search of food

It continued to snow today and more and more birds visit the garden in search of food. Today we had 8 Common Crossbills, or Red Crossbills as they are called in USA.

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Crossbills, Redpolls and a Snow Bunting on the feeder
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Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra – female
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Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra – male

These are photoes from today.

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Birds

The Common Crossbill has started courting

Despite the cold  and the snow the Common Crossbill has started wooing. In South Iceland they start breeding in February and the chicks hatch in March.

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Krossnefur – Common Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

The Common Crossbills are nothing less than spectacular when they sit in the top of a  spruce or pine tree . Their colours match beautifully with the green of the treees, the snow and the blue sky.

The photo of this pair was taken February 2, in Grímsnes, South Iceland.

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