Red Crossbills Near Gunflint Lake (video)

I found a flock of Red Crossbills this morning near Gunflint Lake … just a few miles south of the Canadian Border in NE Minnesota. Assuming a good local food source, Crossbills are one of the few bird species which will mate and nest in the dead of winter. Many of the birds in this flock appeared to be paired off, and by my estimation the pine cone crop looked very good in the area. Thus, I would expect many of these birds to nest soon.

Red Crossbills Gritting Up