Waxwings are small songbirds that are more often heard of than seen. They constitute a small family of waxwings, in which there are only 8 species. All waxwings are divided into 3 subfamilies - true waxwings, silky waxwings and waxwing shrikes.
Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum).
In general, the appearance of all these species is the same. These are densely built birds with thick but soft plumage. Their average size varies from 16 to 23 cm, weight is about 100 g. The beak of these birds is straight and short with a tiny tooth at the end. The wings are long, the tail of real waxwings is short and blunt-cut, while that of silk waxwings, on the contrary, is long. All types of waxwings have a small crest on their heads. The color of most species is gray with pink, yellow or green tint, the wings are gray or black with small white, yellow and red markings, and there is often a yellow stripe on the tail. The only exception to this rule is the black waxwing, in which the males are solid black and the females are gray. This is the only species of waxwings in which sexual dimorphism is expressed; in other species, males and females look the same.
Male black waxwing (Phainopepla nitens).
The range of these birds consists of three separate parts. True waxwings (common, Japanese, cedar) live in temperate and subpolar regions of Europe, Asia and North America. These birds inhabit the forest-tundra and coniferous forests of the taiga type. Silk waxwings live in tropical forests Central America and the extreme south of North America (Mexico). The waxwing shrike lives in Central Asia and is found in open forests and bushes. Silk waxwings and waxwing shrike are sedentary, while other species make large-scale migrations in winter. It is during this period that they can be found in cities and forests far to the south of the taiga (they can fly to France, Mongolia, and Turkey). During nesting time, these birds hide in the thickets of the forest and are rarely seen.
A flock of cedar waxwings in the wisteria thickets.
Waxwings are very nimble and active birds; they spend most of the day in search of food, while the birds often roam in small noisy flocks of 5-30 individuals. True, during the nesting period, flocks break up into separate pairs and the birds behave quite quietly at this time. The voice of waxwings resembles the melodic “svir-svir” and its sound resembles a pipe (hence the name of the birds).
Waxwings feed on insects, buds and young shoots. But their most favorite food is berries. This is a seasonal food found only in autumn and winter, but waxwings prefer it to any other. They eat the berries of almost all forest plants - rowan, bird cherry, juniper, viburnum, mistletoe, lingonberry, rose hip, hawthorn, buckthorn, barberry, mulberry. Waxwings are very voracious and fill their crops with berries almost continuously.
Common waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus).
The breeding season begins in May. Pairs make nests in trees, and northern species of waxwings prefer spruce trees - in their dense crowns the nests are invisible. The nest of waxwings is spherical in shape with a neat tray lined with feathers and moss. The female lays 3-7 bluish-gray eggs with small specks. She incubates the eggs without a partner, but the male brings her food during incubation. Incubation lasts 2 weeks, then the parents jointly feed the brood. The chicks spend another 2 weeks in the nest. Young birds that leave the nest unite with adults in family groups and begin to wander.
A pair of waxwings during courtship.
Like all forest birds, the enemies of waxwings are owls, hawks, crows, magpies, martens, and squirrels, which can destroy nests or catch adult birds. But people treat them favorably. Due to their attractive appearance and beautiful songs, waxwings have long been known as songbirds. It is not difficult to keep them at home, but it is even better not to languish the birds in captivity, but to organize winter feeders for them. Being forest hermits in summer, waxwings willingly visit feeders in winter, and it is very interesting to watch them.
Cedar waxwings bathe in the stream.
The waxwing bird is quite bright appearance, so it’s difficult to find a person who hasn’t seen these amazing noisy creatures at least once in their life. The birds got their name because their singing resembles a whistle, interspersed with screams. Thus, despite their attractive appearance, these birds are not very good at vocals, according to people, which is why they received their slightly mocking nickname. Recently, the attention of ornithologists has been focused on such a phenomenon as drunken waxwings.
The waxwing bird has a rather bright appearance
Due to changing weather conditions and thaws that occur suddenly in late autumn and winter, fermentation begins in the berries, which are the main source of food for these birds, so eating them causes the birds to become very intoxicated. For the waxwings themselves, this is extremely dangerous, since under the influence of alcohol the birds become lost in space, hit buildings, and sometimes fall into the snow, where they die from the cold. This trend worries many advocates wildlife, But optimal solutions no problem yet. However, this fact is not the only thing that distinguishes the birds that form the waxwing family. There are many other features that make these birds remarkable.
Waxwings are common in nature Distribution area
It is worth noting that representatives of this family are quite common in nature. Currently, there are 8 species of these birds belonging to 3 subfamilies. When considering their habitat, you should first figure out whether the waxwing is a migratory bird or not. In fact, many researchers of the behavior of these birds classify them as nomadic, since from the coldest northern regions they migrate to the middle zone, where frosts are also quite severe, but the birds can find enough food for themselves. Waxwings are found only in the northern regions of Eurasia and North America. Long migrations to Africa, India and other regions where weather softer ones, these birds do not commit.
Who are waxwings? There is a popular belief that the Waxwing bird, a drunkard, having pecked at fermented berries, tumbles in the snowdrifts or, like a drunken man, flies, staggering from side to side, sometimes not noticing barriers and obstacles in its path. And someone will say waxwings - bright whistles, like New Year's toys-bells hung on rowan branches in city parks and squares amuse passers-by with their ringing.
Waxwing habitat
The waxwing mainly lives in mixed, birch and coniferous forests in the north of the Eurasian part of Russia or Europe and North America. In our open spaces, the waxwing lives in taiga forests and forest-tundra.
Some people have a question: is the waxwing a wintering bird or not? Most consider these birds to be nomads, but it would be more accurate to say that the waxwing is a conditionally nomadic bird. If in its habitat it turns out mild winter and there will be a sufficient amount of food, waxwings can stay and overwinter. Otherwise, the flocks leave their range and move to southwestern areas, such as:
- Caucasus and Crimean Peninsula in Russia,
- Poland, France, Italy in Europe,
- flying all the way to Mexico in North America.
In search of food (various fruits and berries), waxwings make short stops along the way, the so-called nomads, and then fly further. With the arrival of spring, the flocks return to the north, their native land.
Description of the waxwing
The description of the waxwing bird is simple; our hero resembles a sparrow in size. The bird has a size of 18 to 23 cm and a weight of 60 to 70 g. The largest representatives of the species sometimes reach a weight of 100 g. The color is not so bright, but varied. The bird's body has a gray-pink tint, like a cloudy sky at sunset. The wings are black, interspersed with white and yellow stripes, as well as faint red colors.
On the head there is a pointed crest like a cap. From the body to the tail, the color scheme goes from gray to black, ending with a bright yellow stripe, as if a brush had been dipped in paint. From the beak to the chest the color is black in the form of a spot, around the eyes there is also a black color, reminiscent of a carnival mask.
The European female and male do not differ in color, but the Black Waxwing lives in America. It is jet black in males and gray in females. Red eyes and a long, pointed tail. Some scholars classify black birds as a separate subspecies of birds.
Our hero's singing is similar to the sounds of a pipe, so children's toys - bird whistles - are associated with this bird. When conceived, the waxwing is a fast and nimble bird; only at the time of nesting does it behave secretly and practically not catch the eye. But during winter flights, our hero can be found everywhere in parks, squares, and gardens.
Waxwing nutrition
Most of the time, the waxwing is busy searching for food, gathering in flocks of 5 to 30 or more individuals. In native places " permanent residence» The waxwing's diet is varied. Various larvae, dragonflies, midges, butterflies, mosquitoes, caught in flight, feed the chicks with them. Among plant foods, they prefer tree buds, young shoots of plants, mistletoe, mulberries and other berries. And in autumn period can profit from the fruits garden trees left over from the unharvested harvest.
With the onset of cold weather and the lack of available food, waxwings, heading for a nomadic migration, stop in places with an abundant harvest of various berries. Almost all berries are eaten:
- dog-rose fruit,
- barberry,
- juniper,
- viburnum,
- bird cherry,
- hawthorn,
- mistletoe,
- rowan,
- lingonberries,
- privet,
- lilac and mulberry.
They, akin to locusts, completely sweep away all the berries hanging on the branches, greedily stuffing their crops, often hanging upside down. The waxwing will never go down to the ground and snow, unlike bullfinches, to pick up a fallen berry. Mistletoe - this is how they were called in some places where mistletoe grows, for their love for the white, juicy fruits of this plant.
Greedily eating a large number of bright and juicy berries, the body of a rather small bird cannot cope with such an amount of food, and removes excess berries from the body. After this, characteristic red spots from pecked and undigested berries form on the snow. From these tracks one can judge the arrival of waxwings. This feature birds can be classified as the original way transfer and distribution of plant seeds.
Often, when eating everything possible, fermented berries left on the branches end up in food. Intoxicated birds lose the ability to fly, do not orient themselves in space, and crash into various obstacles. The sad, frightening sight has long been interpreted as a bad omen. Most often, drunken waxwings are found in the spring after the birds have consumed fermented maple sap.
Classification
Currently there are different kinds waxwings, only 9 species of birds have been described, forming two families previously belonging to one:
- Silk waxwings;
- Waxwings
Silky waxwings form 2 genera and 6 species of birds; due to their greater openness, the black silky waxwing is best described.
Waxwings include one genus and 3 species, which include the most common common waxwing. There are two of them in Russia.
- American waxwing, another name for cedar waxwing, is common in the northern United States and Canada. This individual is distinguished from all waxwings by its yellow belly. Of all individuals, they have an average size with a body length of about 20 cm.
- The Amur waxwing is one of all its relatives included in the Red Book. It is the smallest bird of the entire species, reaching only 16 centimeters in length. Individuals of this species are widespread not only in the Far Eastern region of Russia, but also beyond its borders in the countries of Asia and Japan.
- The common waxwing lives in our Siberian taiga. The birds reach a length of up to 25 cm.
- The black waxwing is the only species of all birds whose colors differ among different sexes. The female is gray in color, and the male is black, with a bluish tint. They have an elongated tail and a pointed crest on the head. Habitat in America, mainly in the south of the continent.
- Silk waxwing - lives in the tropics and subtropics of America. The main part is distributed in Mexico and is distinguished by the absence of a crest in comparison with other brothers.
The differences between the ordinary waxwing and the silk waxwing are only in the color and shape of the elongated tail. In all other characteristics: the size of the wings, legs, beak, they are similar.
Reproduction and lifespan
IN spring period Last year's partners do not always stay together; some waxwings form new pairs. Therefore, this bird cannot be called monogamous. Pairs create nests in the vicinity of other pairs. At this time, during early May to early June, the birds become quiet. Neither the singing nor themselves can be heard. Mating games involve the male feeding the female the berries he has obtained. After which begins the process of mating and construction of housing for future offspring.
Waxwings try to build nests on coniferous trees, in sparsely located plantings, near water, at a height of about 10-12 m. The shape of the nest resembles a bowl. To build a strong nest use:
- feathers,
- spruce branches,
- grass,
- lichen,
- tufts of fur from various animals.
The female lays up to 6 bluish-purple eggs and incubates for 14-15 days. Meanwhile, the male is busy collecting and delivering food to the female.
The newly hatched chicks are fed insects, which promotes their rapid growth; after 2-3 weeks, the chicks are ready to fly out of the nest, preparing for independent life. At the age of one year, waxwings are already ready to create offspring. Life cycle these birds are about 10-13 years old, although some die even in early age from predators.
Waxwing in captivity
What to feed a waxwing at home
- insects,
- meat,
- cottage cheese,
- carrot,
- pieces of fruit or dried fruit,
- vegetables and greens.
The floor of the cage or enclosure must be dry and clean; sawdust is used to maintain cleanliness and cleaning is carried out in a timely manner.
Breeding in captivity
The process of breeding these birds in captivity is similar to their behavior in natural environment. For birds that have created a pair, it is necessary to bring the diet as close as possible to what the birds would receive in their natural habitat. You should increase the amount of protein foods and introduce into your diet:
- insects,
- insect larvae,
- ant eggs.
Future parents should also be isolated from outside interference and anxiety from others
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You can often see elegant crested birds in cities. They scurry about in noisy groups, bursting into loud chirping. They can also be seen in winter. These are waxwings and migratory birds or not - we will tell you now.
Waxwings - crested goldfinches
Our ordinary sparrows have a close relative - the waxwing bird. They got their name from the sounds they make when singing: svi-ri-ri. But unlike the gray and rather inconspicuous sparrow, nature gave the waxwings a beautiful outfit.
Appearance of waxwings
The bird is small, up to 20 cm long, weighing only about 70 g. You won’t confuse this dandy with anyone thanks to the protruding crest on its head and its unique coloring. The main color of the body is delicate Pink colour With gray shades. But the wings are multi-colored, with black, yellow-orange and white stripes. The crest is pink, and there are also stripes at the tip of the tail.
In a word, not a bird, but a sight for sore eyes!
There are three main types: common, American and Amur. But they are all very similar in appearance. Males and females are almost the same. However, as always, there are exceptions. There is a species of waxwings in which the color is completely black in males, and gray in females.
Where do waxwings live?
The main habitat of these birds is the taiga and forest-tundra zone of Eurasia. They also live in North America. Flocks of calling birds can be seen not only in coniferous forests, but also in mixed forests, where spruce and birch trees grow.
Listen to the voice of the waxwing
Birds are not migratory, but they can be called nomadic. In winter they move south in search of food. During these migrations, scientists study their behavior. During normal times of life in the north, the birds are quite secretive.
IN summer time Waxwings feed on shoots of young plants, berries, and seeds. They open their short beak and, like flycatchers, catch midges, mosquitoes, dragonflies and even butterflies right on the fly.
In winter, their main food is berries. IN middle lane In Russia they feed in fieldfare, in other areas they peck the berries of barberry, mistletoe, viburnum, rose hips, lingonberries, and indeed any berry bushes.
Waxwings eat a lot and fill their stomachs tightly. But most of these berries are not digested, so in winter the place where the crested beauties feasted is easy to recognize. Under a bare tree, the snow is strewn with bright spots of semi-digested berries with seeds and peeled peels.
In nature it has great importance: The fallen seeds then germinate into a new plant.
IN warm weather In autumn, many berries spoil right on the bushes and begin to ferment. Voracious waxwings, having pecked at these berries, experience a state similar to intoxication. As a result, they are poorly oriented, crash on any obstacle and die. In the spring, this happens when birds drink fermented maple sap.
Waxwings begin to build nests in May-June from any available materials. The materials used are twigs, fluff, blades of grass, and moss, twisted into a neat ball. Northern species build a nest, like crossbills, in spruce branches, where no one will notice it.
Reproduction of waxwings
During the mating season, the male, unlike other birds, does not dance, but brings berries to the female. And while she incubates her 5-7 laid eggs, she also feeds her. Eggs gray-blue color, speckled. The male does not sit in the nest, but after the chicks hatch after 14 days, he helps the female feed them.
Drunkard among . Earned such fame waxwing. The bird feeds on berries. In cold weather, fermentation processes begin in them. Drinking this “berry wine” waxwings get drunk.
Intoxicated, they fall into snowdrifts, crash into houses, windows, and run into wires. In general, the taste preferences of waxwings increase the mortality of birds. They are as bright and extraordinary as their lives.
Description and features of the waxwing
In the photo there is a waxwing appears to be such a dandy. The main color of the bird is pinkish-gray. The back, chest, belly and crest on the bird’s head are colored this way. Her tail has a yellow edge.
Waxwing bird in winter
The sunny tone is also present on the wings, combined with black and white and a couple of scarlet markings. There is also a red spot under the animal's tail. Black is also present on the chin of the waxwing and in the form of arrows near its eyes.
"War paint" bird waxwing differs in both female and male bodies. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed in the size of representatives of the species.
Waxwing - bird not large. With a standard length of 20 centimeters, the bird weighs about 70 grams. The bird's body is compact and dense. Both the tail and wings appear small.
Common waxwing
The waxwing's beak is short and black. The bird's eyes are also dark and small. Neat paws with claws. This makes it easier to stay on flexible branches. Dense bird waxwing looks due to the plumage. Its down layer is dense and warm, useful in winter.
Waxwing belongs to the passeriformes. Hence some of the bird's habits. So, it flies straight and fast. You won’t get “dead loops” like those of swallows from waxwings.
Lifestyle and habitat
What does a waxwing look like? most people in the northern hemisphere know. Representatives of the family are not found in the south.
The biotope of distribution of the hero of the article is impressive:
- firstly, the bird is found at any altitude, equally common in both lowlands and mountains
- secondly, the waxwing is found both in forests and in clearings, whether dry or swampy.
The main thing is that there are berries in the selected areas. The relative preferences of passerines are places with the simultaneous presence of spruce and birch trees. These are the first ones that come to mind when asked, where do waxwings live.
They are not sedentary, but they cannot be called migratory birds either. The middle option is nomadic. This is exactly what waxwings are. They fly from place to place in search of food.
Amur waxwing
In a conversation on the topic, how waxwings fly, the issue of singing volume is important. It's loud. It’s not for nothing that in the Old Russian language the word “waxy” means “cry”. It is inherent in all species of the genus, however, despite the volume, it is melodic.
Types of waxwings
There are 8 species in the genus Waxwings. There are 3 in the family of Waxwings. Two of them are found in Russia. Another one lives in the New World:
American waxwing
- American waxwing. Otherwise called cedar, it lives in Canada and the northern United States. Americans are distinguished from other waxwings by their yellow belly. The birds are average in size among their relatives, reaching a length of 20 centimeters.
- Amur waxwing. The only one of the family is listed in the Red Book. The bird is smaller than its relatives, extending only 16 centimeters in length. Amur individuals are found not only in the Far East, but also in Asian countries and Japan.
- Common waxwing. Found in the Siberian taiga. Here the birds reach a length of 25 centimeters.
These are real waxwings. There are 2 more species from the silky family:
Black waxwing
- Black waxwing. The only kind, in which the colors of birds of different sexes vary. Female waxwing gray, and the male is deep black. The feathered species is also distinguished by an elongated tail and a pointed crest on the head. Black waxwings live in America, mainly in the south of the continent.
- Silk waxwing. Also lives in the tropics and subtropics. Most of the population flies in the vast expanses of Mexico. The birds lack an erect crest, like ordinary waxwings.
Silk waxwing
In size, silky waxwings do not differ from ordinary ones. They are also reminiscent of their short beak and wings and short legs. Only the elongated tails of American waxwings and their, for the most part, monochromatic coloring are obvious differences between the families.
Bird feeding
All waxwings are voracious. Unlike blackbirds and bullfinches, birds do not descend to collect dropped fruits. Waxwing birds swoop down on trees and bushes like locusts, quickly sweeping away food and spreading to the next “table”.
Cedar waxwings
Having eaten, the birds continue the feast until they have eaten everything:
- berries (rowan, viburnum, mistletoe, barberry, rose hips, lingonberries, juniper fruits)
- buds (mostly birch)
Since waxwings often overeat, the birds' stomachs are unable to fully digest the meal. Therefore, some of the berries come out through the cloaca only slightly softened. This makes it easier for seeds to germinate. This is how waxwings promote plant reproduction.
Waxwings love rowan
The intoxication of the hero of the article is also associated with gluttony. The bird sweeps all the berries indiscriminately, without selecting the fermented ones. Considering the amount eaten, a decent amount of alcohol enters the blood of animals.
Based on the weight of the bird, alcohol produces pronounced intoxication. Almost everyone endured it wintering bird. Waxwings tropical latitudes do not suffer from “dependence” because they do not encounter fruits that are frozen and then heated by the sun.
Reproduction and lifespan
Usually lively and not afraid of people, birds calm down from May to June and become secretive. The nesting period begins. Pre-created pairs begin it. In “marriage” waxwings are almost always monogamous and faithful to their partner, although there are cases of changing partners.
Waxwing birds prefer to build nests near bodies of water, in open forests. There the animals look for large spruce trees. The birds hide their nests among their branches at a height of about 12 meters.
Cedar waxwing with chicks
To build nests, passerines use:
- feathers
- pine needles and spruce branches
- grass
- lichens and mosses
- animal hair, such as deer
The shape of the waxwing nest is cup-shaped and deep. The structure comes out strong and reliable. Approximately 6 light purple eggs are hatched in it. The chicks appear after 2 weeks. During this time, the female sits on the eggs, and the male brings her food.
The parents feed the young with insects. Protein food allows chicks to grow as quickly as possible. Having gained weight, waxwings switch to a vegetarian diet. At one month old, young waxwings are already independent. Birds reach sexual maturity at one year of age, living until about 13 years of age. In captivity, the eyelid is extended by 2-3 years.
The main thing is to keep several birds at once. When alone, the animal becomes apathetic, lethargic, and gets sick more often. Otherwise, keeping waxwings at home is problem-free. Birds easily contact people, get used to them, and delight them with their brightness and singing.
