Conservation status: Amber
The Scottish crossbill is a chunky, thick-set finch with a large head and substantial bill. It is very difficult to distinguish from the other members of the crossbill family. It is the UK's only endemic bird species (ie one found nowhere else in the world).
Latin name
Loxia scotica
Family
Finches (Fringillidae)
Where to see them
Confined to the Scots pine forests of the Scottish Highlands, both ancient Caledonian forest and new commercial plantations.
When to see them
All year round.
What they eat
Pine seeds
Population
| Europe | UK breeding* | UK wintering* | UK passage* | | - | 300-1,250 pairs | - | - |