ML614560573

Age and sex

Adult Male - 1

Media notes

Pair feeding in Scots Pines at the highest point on the Woodland trail, giving N20 'toop' calls identical to those associated with Scottish Crossbill.

Observation details

I identified this pair of crossbills as Scottish Crossbill based on the N20 calls which they were giving and their substantial bill structures - too small for Parrot, at the upper end for Common, but in the goldilocks zone for Scottish, and entered them onto this checklist as Scottish Crossbill (S107723099). Peter Stronach, the eBird recorder for the Highland region treated this sighting as Unconfirmed, and commented "Scottish Crossbill can only be identified in the field by a sound recording of the flight or excitement call, without this it is not possible to distinguish the species from Common or Parrot Crossbill. If you have a recording please add it to this sighting. I note that you had a response playing an N20 call to these birds, unfortunately Scottish Crossbills respond to Parrot and Common Crossbill calls too. Ron Summers survey for Scottish Crossbill used Parrot Crossbill calls as a lure." I disagree with Stronach's assessment which follows the Scottish Birds Records Committee (SBRC) who take a selective approach to which published material they accept as useful contributions to the identification of Scottish Crossbill (see SBRC position on Scottish Crossbill). I would like to provide the opportunity for others to view these media on the Macaulay Library so they can make their own judgement as to the identification of these crossbills; hence the photos are listed here as 'crossbill sp.' so they are available in eBird/Macaulay Library output. With an estimated breeding population of 6,800 (4,050 - 11,500) pairs (Stanbury et al. 2020), Scottish Crossbill is not a rare bird in the highlands of Scotland, and this observation at Loch Maree lies within the recognised breeding range of Scottish Crossbill and these birds would not be subject to review by the SBRC. Stanbury et al. (2020). Birds of Conservation Concern 5. Brit. Birds 114: 723-747.

Technical information

Model

E-M1X

Lens

M.300mm F4.0 + MC-14

ISO

320

Focal length

420 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/800 sec

Dimensions

2550 pixels x 1913 pixels

Original file size

2.67 MB