Red Crossbill

The Red Crossbill is a bird.  I recently saw first hand why it's called a Crossbill and readily admit I was amazed.  The Crossbill family of birds are about the size of sparrows.  They get along well with other birds and different species of the Crossbill clan will also flock together.

They are called Crossbill because of the unique way their beak crosses.  As you can see in the picture the tips of the upper and lower beak don't meet, they cross each other like crossing your fingers.  I've noted on some pictures the beak crosses one way and other pictures show the cross just the opposite.  I haven't read anything to explain this.

The reason for this adaptation is the birds primary food source is the Conifer Cone.  Apparently having the crossed beak enables them to pry open the cone and access the seed inside.

The one that I saw just a few days ago was more yellow and light green in the chest and on parts of her back.  Obviously a female because the males are definitely red.  The pictured Crossbill is a female.

Another name for these critters is the Common Crossbill.  I like the name Red Crossbill if for no other reason than they aren't "common" to me.