Bombycilla garrulus
The Bohemian Waxwing, a strikingly elegant passerine, is renowned for its silky-smooth plumage and nomadic winter wanderings. Measuring 18-21 cm (7-8.3 in) in length with a wingspan of 32-35 cm (12.6-13.8 in) and weighing 50-70g, it boasts a fawn-brown body, a prominent crest, and a distinctive black mask and throat. Key field marks include a yellow-tipped tail, white and bright yellow wing bars, and the namesake waxy red tips on its secondary feathers. Taxonomically, it belongs to the family...
Primarily inhabiting open coniferous or mixed boreal forests, particularly near water bodies, and tundra edges during the breeding season. In winter, they are found in a broader range of open woodlands, parks, and suburban areas with abundant fruit-bearing trees, typically at low to mid-elevations.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming vast quantities of berries (e.g., rowan, juniper, hawthorn, mountain ash) throughout the year. During the breeding season, they supplement their diet with insects, caught by hawking in flight or gleaning from foliage.
Bohemian Waxwings are highly social birds, especially outside the breeding season, forming large, often nomadic flocks that can number in the hundreds or even thousands. They are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging and often roost communally in dense trees. Their foraging strategy is l...
The Bohemian Waxwing has a circumboreal breeding range spanning across the northern latitudes of North America and Eurasia. In North America, they breed across Alaska and much of Canada, extending from the Yukon and Northwest Territories eastward to Quebec and Newfoundland. Their Eurasian breedin...
Least Concern
- The Bohemian Waxwing's scientific name, *Bombycilla garrulus*, means "silky chatterer," referring to its soft plumage and high-pitched, trilling calls. - They are famous for their "irruptive" movements, where large numbers unpredictably invade southern regions during winters of scarce food in t...