The Himalayan crossbil owes its name to its area of origin as well as its special beak shape. Thanks to the crossed beak it is able to reach its main food source: the seeds of conifer cones. Breeding season is during winter as this is the time when most cones hang in the tree tops. Just at the age of 30 days the beak starts to cross in which the direction is not predetermined.
Category: Birds
Breeding duration: 14 days
Age: up to 15 years
food: seeds of conifers, buds, needles, fruits, insects
Danger: not endangered
distribution: from the northern Himalayas to North-West India via Assam, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim and South-Eastern Tibet
distribution area