Although I haven't observed crossbills feeding on sunflower heads (as Richard & Dave have), when they're in the ponderosa pines around our house west of Ft. Collins, they frequently feed on black oil sunflower fruits at our feeders. Occasionally, they even visit a nyjer feeder, extending their tongues through the mesh to "lick up" the seeds (fruits, actually).
Dave Steingraeber
Larimer County west of Horsetooth Reservoir, 5760'
From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Dave <daleatherman@msn.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2023 9:09 AM
To: CObirds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Red Crossbills & sunflowers
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2023 9:09 AM
To: CObirds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Red Crossbills & sunflowers
** Caution: EXTERNAL Sender **
Richard Trinker just reported to eBird an observation of juvenile red crossbills at low elevation eating sunflower seed obtained from flowers at a public garden in Boulder. I had the same exact experience yesterday in two different yards on the east side of Fort Collins. The individuals I watched were young enough to have mostly straight beaks. Their vocalizations were a better way to quickly discern their not being house finches than their general appearance. Juveniles have also been at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins recently. It has been suggested this might indicate local, urban breeding. However, Richard's and the Fort Collins observations suggest to me a widespread Front Range shift of young birds to low elevation of unknown duration to take advantage of an abundant, easy to obtain nutrition source.
The next issue of "Colorado Birds" has a "The Hungry Bird" article on crossbills foods OTHER THAN conifer seed but I didn't say much about sunflower seed and juveniles because the literature doesn't address it and I hadn't personally seen it before yesterday.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
Sent from my iPhone
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Richard Trinker just reported to eBird an observation of juvenile red crossbills at low elevation eating sunflower seed obtained from flowers at a public garden in Boulder. I had the same exact experience yesterday in two different yards on the east side of Fort Collins. The individuals I watched were young enough to have mostly straight beaks. Their vocalizations were a better way to quickly discern their not being house finches than their general appearance. Juveniles have also been at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins recently. It has been suggested this might indicate local, urban breeding. However, Richard's and the Fort Collins observations suggest to me a widespread Front Range shift of young birds to low elevation of unknown duration to take advantage of an abundant, easy to obtain nutrition source.
The next issue of "Colorado Birds" has a "The Hungry Bird" article on crossbills foods OTHER THAN conifer seed but I didn't say much about sunflower seed and juveniles because the literature doesn't address it and I hadn't personally seen it before yesterday.
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
Sent from my iPhone
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