White-winged Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill: Medium crossbill, bright pink overall except for black wings with two bold white wing-bars. Belly has dull white center; white undertail coverts. Black tail, deeply notched. Swift bounding flight, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
● Song:
"sweet-sweet-sweet", "chif-chif-chif", "peet"
● Foraging & Feeding:
White-winged Crossbill: Eats conifer seeds, other seeds, weeds, grasses, and insects. Forages in small flocks during most of year; attracted to salt licks and salt on surfaces of winter highways.
● Breeding & nesting:
White-winged Crossbill: Three to five brown and purple spotted, white to blue green eggs are laid in a nest made of grass, bark, lichens, moss, and hair, and lined with twigs and weeds. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.
● Similar species:
White-winged Crossbill: American Goldfinch is smaller, has stubby pink bill, white undertail coverts, black wings with two white to buff wing-bars, and lacks white patch across base of primaries.