[Maine-birds] Western types of Red Crossbills in Maine this summer

For the last month there's been an irruption of two western types of Red Crossbills into southern and central Maine. Red Crossbills can be found in white pines when they have a heavy cone crop, which they do this year. They will likely stick around at least until the end of September.

The Finch Research Network and other researchers such as Dr. Cody Porter (see post on July 17) are actively studying these different crossbill types (some of which may prove to be separate species). The ones in Maine this summer are our typical Type 12 (Northeastern), Type 2 (Ponderosa Pine), and Type 4 (Douglas Fir). The latter two are typically found out west but have come east in search of conifer seeds. All but one eBird list with Type 4 crossbills comes from this summer, as you can see from this eBird map.

Researchers are very interested in documenting where the different types are seen and heard. The only reliable way to do this in the field is to record their calls (particularly flight calls) and send the eBird list with the recording to info@finchnetwork.org. After it is typed, you can change the species in eBird to that type. Recording from your phone in Merlin Sound ID will work fine but you need to be quick with flyovers (kip-kip, kip-kip, kip-kip). Researchers are particularly interested in documenting what species of conifer the different types are feeding on, if you see them actually feeding on cones. If you can document a pair with audio of them, or even better evidence of breeding such as feeding young, that's a bonus. The Finch Research Network describes the current Crossbill Foraging Project and how you can contribute.

Myself and several other birders have been looking for different crossbill types over the past month, and have found three types in multiple counties from Bangor south. They should be in Cumberland County but none have been documented yet (in an unusual occurrence, they're now better documented in Androscoggin County!). There's also a lot of gaps in the midcoast and other parts of central Maine. A couple good ways to narrow a search are to look at a map of recent crossbill reports of Red Crossbills (most don't have types associated with them). Another very helpful resource is a map that Christine Murray prepared which shows areas with pine trees and boundaries of conservation areas. Large stands of big white pines are the best bet.

If you're interested in some good articles on the Red Crossbill types, these are from the Finch Research Network: (1) An article on the current irruption of western crossbills into the east; (2) the newly designated Type 12 Northeastern Red Crossbill; (3) A primer on Red Crossbill types and the conifers they feed on; (4) Red Crossbill types core zones of occurrence, irruption, and what their calls look like.

Hope you can get out to enjoy this fascinating species, it may be a long time before western types of crossbills are numerous in Maine again.

Glenn Hodgkins

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