A Bird In Hand Is Easier to Study and Research

The Red Crossbill is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It breeds in the spruce forests of North America.

The Crossbills are characterised by the mandibles crossing at their tips, and the unusual bill shape is an adaptation to assist the extraction of the seeds from the pine cone.

By the way, I used a modified BB gun to get a closer look at one of these when I was 12 years old.

And now you know...the rest of the story