Scottish Crossbill
Loxia scotica
Silhouette: Emma Hughes · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyFringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
- GenusLoxia (Crossbills)
- SpeciesLoxia scotica (Scottish Crossbill)
About the Scottish Crossbill
The Scottish crossbill (Loxia scotica) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is endemic to the Caledonian Forests of Scotland, one of only two land vertebrate species endemic to the British Isles (the other being red grouse, Lagopus scotica).
The genus name Loxia is from Ancient Greek loxos, 'crosswise', and scotica is Latin for 'Scottish'. The Scottish Gaelic name for a crossbill is Cam-ghob, which means 'crooked beak'. The British Ornithologists Union first classed the Scottish crossbill as a separate and distinct species in 1980, but some ornithologists believed there was insufficient scientific research for its status. It was considered to be possibly a race of either the red crossbill or the parrot crossbill, both of which also occur in the Caledonian Forest.
RSPB research showed that Scottish crossbills have quite distinct flight and excitement calls from other crossbills – some even stated they have "Scottish accents". Research in Scotland has shown that red, parrot and Scottish crossbills are reproductively isolated, and the diagnostic calls and bill dimensions have not been lost. They are therefore good species.
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Recent sightings of Scottish Crossbill in Cairngorms National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostra
Parrot Crossbill
Loxia pytyopsittacus
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinus
Eurasian Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
European Greenfinch
Chloris chloris
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Eurasian Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Linnet
Linaria cannabina
Brambling
Fringilla montifringilla
Twite
Linaria flavirostris
European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Scottish Crossbill in Cairngorms National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Scottish Crossbill sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Scottish Crossbill in Cairngorms National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Scottish Crossbill in Cairngorms National Park in our monthly data.