Crossbill

Latin name: Loxia curvirostra

Size: length 1.5cm, wingspan 27-30.5cm, weight 35-50g

Lifespan: 4 years, although some wild barn owls have been known to reach 15 years.

Diet: Seeds from conifer cones, extracted using that recognisable bill whilst flying from cone to cone.

Habitat: Given their diet crossbills are most common in coniferous forests. They can also be spotted in heathland areas with conifer trees nearby.

Did you know? The crossbill is in the finch family of birds, easily identified by its distinctive bill. They're stocky little birds with a large head, and most commonly live in large folks amongst the treetops.

Adult males are a distinctive brick-red and females greenish-brown. There are 40,000 pairs in the UK including breeding pairs at Go Ape Thetford where the crossbill above was photographed by Operations Manager Mark.