Overview

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.

Range and Habitat

White-winged Crossbill: Breeds from Alaska and northern Quebec south to Newfoundland and British Columbia. In winter, found south to the Carolinas and Oregon. Also occurs in Eurasia. Found in coniferous forests.

Breeding and 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.

Foraging and 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.

Readily Eats

Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit

Vocalization

White-winged Crossbill: Vigorous musical warbles and chatters, "sweet, sweet, sweet", on different pitches and often issued during display flight on hovering wings. Call is rapid, harsh repetitive series of "chif-chif-chif" notes and plaintive "peet."

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.