15 Birds With Unbelievable Beaks
4
of 15
Red Crossbill
A red crossbill perched on a branch in Fremont National Forest in central Oregon.
Bob Pool / Shutterstock
The red crossbill sports a bill that would be viewed as a deformity in most other finch species. But for this species, it is the perfect way to get at its primary food source: the seeds held within pinecones. Even tightly closed cones can be accessed thanks to the unusual shape of its bill. The bird places the tips of the bill under a cone scale and bites down, which pushes the scale up and exposes the seed.
of 15
Red Crossbill
A red crossbill perched on a branch in Fremont National Forest in central Oregon.
Bob Pool / Shutterstock
The red crossbill sports a bill that would be viewed as a deformity in most other finch species. But for this species, it is the perfect way to get at its primary food source: the seeds held within pinecones. Even tightly closed cones can be accessed thanks to the unusual shape of its bill. The bird places the tips of the bill under a cone scale and bites down, which pushes the scale up and exposes the seed.
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29 March 2022
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