  |
|||
|
|
|
||
|
Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Aug 20, 2006 |
On August 16, 2006, the Scotsman reported an important event in ornithological history - a Scottish bird, the Scottish Crossbill (Loxia scotica), has been declared a distinct species after more than a hundred years of debate. Some specialists thought the Scottish Crossbill, a member of the finch family, was a subspecies of the Common Crossbill, while others considered it to be a separate and distinct species present only in the United Kingdom.
Studies of the Scottish Crossbill's size and song were pivotal in establishing a consensus that it is indeed a distinct species. It lives in the Scottish Highlands and frequents Scots Pine forests - not surprisingly, it has a fondness for pine seeds. It's a large finch, about the size of a Red Crossbill, with a large head and heavy crossed bill. Males are red with dark wings and tail. The Scottish Crossbill has a distinct call - a Scottish accent.
The bad news is that the "new" species, the only bird species unique to the United Kingdom, is already endangered. No one really knows how many there are, but the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scotland, estimates that the entire population includes between 300 and 1500 individuals.
Read the whole story in the Scotsman