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I first photographed Scottish Crossbill back in the 1970’s. At that time the sedentary Scottish bird was recognised as a subspecies of the Common Crossbill, an irruptive European species, which in some years can arrive in large numbers and breed in coniferous woodland throughout the UK. Recently Scottish Crossbill has been given species status. As such it is Scotland’s only endemic species and is mainly restricted to the pine forests of the Northern Highlands.
Despite being fairly confiding birds they are difficult to get close to as they spend most of their time feeding high in the canopy of the pines. This male was low down guarding his female from the attentions of other unattached males nearby whilst she was down on the ground gathering nesting material.
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