All,
The
crossbill that my lab studies in the South Hills and Albion Mountains of
southern Idaho was recently recognized as a distinct species, the Cassia
Crossbill (Loxia sineciuris). In
response to this news, many birders have been visiting southern Idaho to add
this species to their life list. Indeed, the number of checklists submitted in
the South Hills and Albions since the AOS decision this summer has grown
tremendously.
One consequence of folks seeking out this bird is that pictures of crossbills
we have banded are popping up, both on eBird and in my and my advisor’s inbox. Conveniently,
this is happening at the exact same time that we are thinking about
implementing a study looking at flocking behavior in crossbills, in terms of
which individuals are flocking together. We
can gain valuable information from pictures of banded birds, especially
pictures that have two or more banded birds from the same flock. Pictures
of single banded birds are also extremely valuable.
If you are
planning on looking for Cassia Crossbills, or have already done so, and have
pictures of banded birds, we would greatly appreciate it if you would send them
to us. In order for us to individually
identify banded birds, we need a picture of both legs and the bird’s bill (the
lower mandible of crossbills can cross to the left or right of the upper
mandible, and we use this in identifying individuals in combination with their
bands). Even if you’re not sure that your pictures are sufficient to identify
individuals, please send them anyway. Please also include the date and the
location (e.g., Porcupine Springs campground) of the sighting.
Please send pictures to cben...@uwyo.edu.
Thanks very much for your help!
Best,
Cody Porter
Laramie, WY
For more
information on finding Cassia Crossbills and their natural history, visit:
https://idahobirds.net/birding-idaho/cassia-crossbill/