"If you take care of the birds, you take care of most of the environmental problems of the world." ~Thomas Lovejoy
The Cassia Crossbill is the only bird species endemic to Idaho, residing exclusively in two mountain ranges — the South Hills, south of Twin Falls, and the Albion Mountains to the east. With just a few thousand birds in total and only a small range to roam, researchers already believed the species could be heading toward extinction when, in 2020, a large wildfire burned through a significant portion of the lodgepole pine in its territory. Now, researchers are trying to assess the damage.
Read more about the Cassia Crossbill in this fascinating article from Boise Public Radio here .