South Hills Crossbill
Encyclopedia
The South Hills Crossbill (proposed scientific name Loxia sinesciuris) is a passerine
bird
in the family Fringillidae. It's endemic to the South Hills and Albion Mountains in southern Idaho
. South Hills Crossbill rarely interbreeds with other call types that move into the South Hills of Idaho yearly, and can be considered to represent a distinct species.
It has been proposed as a separate species, but the American Ornithologists' Union
failed to find consensus on the issue and thus the South Hills Crossbill is still considered a subtype of the Red Crossbill.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the family Fringillidae. It's endemic to the South Hills and Albion Mountains in southern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. South Hills Crossbill rarely interbreeds with other call types that move into the South Hills of Idaho yearly, and can be considered to represent a distinct species.
It has been proposed as a separate species, but the American Ornithologists' Union
American Ornithologists' Union
The American Ornithologists' Union is an ornithological organization in the USA. Unlike the National Audubon Society, its members are primarily professional ornithologists rather than amateur birders...
failed to find consensus on the issue and thus the South Hills Crossbill is still considered a subtype of the Red Crossbill.