Waxwings are frequent guests of cities and towns in winter, but they are secretive, so much of their behavior has not been fully studied, including seasonal movements.
It would be more correct to call them conditionally nomadic, because if they fly to other areas for the winter, then over short distances. The desire to fly south for the winter in these birds may not arise if the usual area has a mild winter and a lot of food.
Habitat - North America, northern Europe and Asia, coniferous and mixed forests. In autumn, flocks of waxwings move south, they can be found at this time and in winter in central Russia, in France, Poland, and Italy.
Some flocks reach the Crimea and Turkey. Waxwings living in America live in the southwest of the mainland in summer, fly to Mexico in winter.
Appearance description
The waxwing is a small bird, the body is about 20 cm long, weight 60 g. The color of the feather is gray with a pink tint, on the head this shade is brighter. There is a sharp crest on the back of the head, wings at the ends with black and white patches, a coal-black spot under the beak. Females and males of Eurasian waxwings are the same in color.
Silky (American) male waxwing black, with a blue tint, but the female is gray, inconspicuous. They have a long pointed tail and red eyes. Ornithologists are inclined to believe that black waxwings should be considered a separate species.
Nesting and breeding
Waxwings cannot be called strictly monogamous. Breaking up into pairs in the spring, they choose last year's partner, but not always.
The nest is built on a coniferous tree not very high from the ground. Dry grass, twigs, needles - a nest is built from this, the bottom is lined with shreds of wool and moss.
The female lays up to 5 small bluish eggs, does not leave the nest during incubation, the male carries food to her. After a couple of weeks, when the chicks have hatched, both parents fly for food for themselves and the babies. After another 15 days, the chicks become independent.
Nutritional features of waxwings
They feed on both small insects and berries and fruits. The food preferences of waxwings vary depending on age and season. Chicks are fed with insects, catching them right on the fly.
Food is butterflies, dragonflies, mosquitoes, midges. From plant foods in summer, adult waxwings can find mulberry and mistletoe. Closer to autumn, waxwings are happy to peck at apples, wild or those that have not been collected in the gardens.
With the onset of cold weather, when waxwings are already flying over for wintering, they switch to berries: they eat viburnum, mountain ash, lingonberries and cranberries, juniper. If a berry plucked by a bird falls to the ground, then the waxwing will never fly down after it.
The soil under a tree or shrub strewn with berries is a sign that waxwings feasted there.
It is considered a bad omen if a waxwing hysterically beats on a window or door, sometimes it dies. The explanation for this is simple: they also peck at fermented berries, from which they lose their orientation.
These unscrupulous birds are excellent seed distributors. Berries peck greedily and a lot, without damaging the seeds, their stomach does not fully digest so much food. Flying to new places in search of food, waxwings spread seeds over long distances.
Waxwing singing, her enemies in the wild, domestication
The sounds that the waxwing makes are very different: melodic tinkling like a bell, whistling and chirping, screaming in high tones.
The origin of the name of the bird is from the Old Russian "sviristet" (whistling loudly). Another version is from the word "pipe", they often sing like this instrument.
Their main enemies are birds of prey: owls, hawks, crows. Squirrels and martens annoy waxwings, they destroy nests and eat eggs and chicks.
It is easy to keep a waxwing in a cage, but if it is placed alone, it will become inactive and will hardly sing. The best conditions for them in captivity are a large aviary with several birds.
Watch the video about what they are, these waxwings.
What is a waxwing bird? It is better to start acquaintance with a bright representative of the passerine order in winter, when beautifully colored nimble birds with a clearly visible crest flicker against the background of snow and scarlet clusters of mountain ash.
Waxwing on a branch in winter. 
The waxwing received its name due to its murmuring song "swi-ri-ri-ri-ri", reminiscent of the sound of a flute. For the same reason, birds are often associated with folk art objects - painted toys - whistles, an invariable attribute of shepherds.
There are only 9 types of waxwings in the world, most of which are extremely little studied.
Waxwing classification
The 9 species of birds described to date form 2 families: waxwings and silky waxwings, and the separation occurred recently, and earlier all 9 species belonged to the same family.
The waxwing family includes a single genus and only 3 species. Among them, the common waxwing is considered typical and most common.
The family of silky waxwings forms 2 genera and 6 species of birds, the black silky waxwing is the most studied.
Representatives of both families differ in habitat, lifestyle and appearance.
Waxwing ordinary on mountain ash. What do waxwings look like
These are medium-sized birds, from 16 to 23 cm long. The body weight of the waxwing is less than 100 g and usually is about 60-70 g. In ordinary waxwings, sexual dimorphism is not pronounced, males and females look exactly the same.
The main color of the plumage is pinkish-gray, only the wings, tail and throat are painted black. It is very easy to recognize the waxwing by its bright yellow tail edging and alternating yellow and white stripes on the wings. A thin black stripe also passes through the eyes of birds.
Waxwing common, bird view from below. 
Waxwing ordinary on mountain ash. If you look at the common waxwing close up, you can see a bright red spot on the wings, these are modified tips of secondary flight feathers, similar to plates. A similar species is the Amur (Japanese) waxwing, but these birds are smaller and they have red spots not only on the wings, but also on the tail.
American (cedar) waxwing - the third representative of the waxwing family is colored completely differently. These birds have only black beak and area around the eyes, no bright stripes on the wings, and the belly and the very tip of the tail are painted in lemon color.
But in silky waxwings, sexual dimorphism is very well expressed. The males of the family are coal - black or lead - gray, their feathers are cast with a blue satin sheen. Females are pale, grayish or brownish in color.
Beautiful photo of waxwings. 
Beautiful photo of waxwings. 
A clear difference between the families is the length of the tail. Waxwings have a relatively short tail, and silky waxwings have a fairly long tail. The color of the eyes of the representatives of the families is also different: waxwing black-eyed birds, and, for example, the black silky waxwing has red eyes, the females are especially bright.
The heads of all waxwings are decorated with a characteristic crest. Only in common waxwings it can be barely noticeable, and 5 out of 6 species of silky waxwings wear a high pointed crest.
Where do waxwings live
Representatives of the waxwing family inhabit coniferous and mixed swampy forests of the temperate zone from the Scandinavian Peninsula to the Far East, Canada and the northern states of the United States.
Silky waxwings prefer completely different biotopes and live in the desert areas or tropical thickets of Mexico, in the forests of North and Central America to the Isthmus of Panama.
Waxwing on a rowan branch. Waxwing lifestyle
At any time of the year, these birds are rarely found alone, keeping in noisy flocks, and only during the breeding season they become quiet and secretive.
Waxwings are not afraid of cold weather and do not make long-distance flights from their usual habitats. In very cold winters, birds migrate a little to the south, and in mild winters they do not leave the borders of their summer range at all.
In winter, the waxwing becomes a habitual inhabitant of the settlements of central Russia, it is interesting that these birds are not afraid of people and then they can be seen in all their glory. What draws waxwings closer to people in winter? The only source of food is fruit trees growing in gardens and parks, which do not lose their crops with the onset of cold weather, because the diet of these birds varies greatly depending on the season.
The waxwings flew in and the blizzards whistled. What do waxwings eat
In summer, these birds are not interested in cities, there is plenty of food in forests, clearings and swamps. In the warm season, waxwings feed mainly on animal food - small insects, which birds often catch on the fly. It can be mosquitoes, midges, dragonflies, butterflies; in spring, birds prey on insect larvae.
Waxwings are not particularly fond of landing on the ground and a small part of their summer diet consists of young shoots of tall plants and early ripening berries, such as mistletoe and mulberry. In early spring, birds eagerly peck at the buds of trees.
Waxwing eats rowan. 
The waxwing eats snow for some reason. 
Waxwings compete for an apple. 
Waxwing in flight plucks mountain ash. In the diet of heat-loving silky waxwings, berries of shrubs of the Santal family predominate, birds do not refuse juniper berries, and animal food is eaten second.
In winter, the diet of waxwings in the temperate zone changes dramatically and berries become the basis of the diet, mostly mountain ash, which is rare in dense forests, but grows in more open areas, including near settlements. Birds eat mountain ash in huge quantities, fermented ones are often found among the berries, and such a diet has generated some negative attitude towards waxwings among the people.
"Drunk" waxwings
Of interest is the very method of eating rowan fruits by birds. For example, fieldfare, a European species of thrushes, picks up fallen berries from the ground, while waxwings never fall on the snow strewn with their favorite food and always peck berries only from branches.
Having eaten well fermented berries, tipsy birds lose their orientation in space and often die, bumping in a crazy flight and breaking on various objects. Some beat on the windows of residential buildings, and if the authors ridicule this behavior of birds in their works, then among the people, without guilt, guilty waxwings have become a kind of bad omen: a waxwing beats out the window - to be in trouble.
The waxwing sings only in the wild, they get bored alone. The body of a small bird is not able to digest a large number of berries and fruits, so a part comes out almost undigested. Thus, waxwings are of great benefit, contributing to the spread of cultivated fruit trees and shrubs.
This happens in winter, and in the warm season, waxwings behave decently, adhere to proper nutrition and take chicks with all responsibility.
Reproduction features
Waxwings are polygamous birds, and every year they create a new pair. Even during the nesting period, they do not change their social behavior and pairs often nest close to each other. Depending on the range, the breeding season falls on May - July, and at this time neither birds nor their singing can be seen or heard. The mating games of waxwings are simple, the males feed the females with berries, and then the birds start mating and building a nest.
Waxwing nests are located in sparse forests and forest edges, often not far from lakes and ponds. Nests are arranged in the upper crowns of trees and have a neat cup-shaped shape. As a building material, birds use sprigs of fir trees, grass stems, mosses and animal hair.
Waxwinger at the waterhole. 
Bombycilla garrulus - common waxwing. Female waxwings lay from 3 to 6 eggs, females of silky waxwings 2-4 eggs. Incubation lasts about 2 weeks. According to observers, in silky waxwings, both parents often incubate, in waxwings only females, and males bring them insects and berries.
Parents do not take care of the offspring for long, feeding the chicks with insects. Already 2-3 weeks after birth, young waxwings are ready for independent life, leave their parents and the couple breaks up. Silky waxwings can nest repeatedly, flying in case of extreme heat to more humid and cool places.
Waxwings reach puberty at the age of 1 year, but some birds die at a young age from feathered and tree-climbing predators.
The enemies of waxwings and the state of the population
With the exception of nondescript female silky waxwings, most species do not have a protective coloration and bright birds often fall prey to large birds - hawks, owls and even crows. Waxwing eggs and chicks are often eaten by representatives of the squirrel and mustelid families.
The albino waxwing is a very rare occurrence. 
Waxwings in winter. Under favorable conditions, waxwings live for about 13 years and are sometimes kept at home. Like many birds, waxwings get bored alone and stop singing, but a few birds in a spacious cage feel great.
Some species of waxwings remain poorly understood, however, according to the IUCN, the population of these birds is quite numerous today and its condition does not cause concern among scientists.
Waxwing is a small bird, but bright enough. This feathered creature got its name due to the characteristic whistle that it emits. Only 8 species of birds can fully belong to the waxwing family. The most common are silk and real waxwings, as well as shrikes. These feathered creatures are modest in size, so they have never been actively hunted.
Waxwing - a small bird, but bright enough
Not all people know what this bird looks like. However, often they, gathering in large flocks, become real pests, eating berries that are grown by people. For example, the American waxwing is a real thunderstorm of blueberry plantations. Often, birds cannot swallow especially large fruits, so after several attempts they simply throw them on the ground. They cause great damage to the economy, so farmers often resort to poisons, which can cause the death of a large number of these creatures.
The body length of these amazing feathered creatures is about 19-23 cm. Their body weight varies from 60 to 68 cm. The tail is short. The wingspan reaches 36 cm. The paws of waxwings are quite short. This allows birds to hide them from the cold in warm plumage. The fingers are very tenacious. The body is very dense and knocked down. The head rests on a large neck. The plumage of the bird fits snugly to the body. This structure allows the waxwings to survive even with the onset of severe cold weather. Among other things, they are excellent fliers, capable of performing the most incredible maneuvers in the air.
The description of most species of these birds is approximately the same with the exception of the black variety. Common waxwing look colorful. On the head of the birds there is a bright reddish-brown crest. A kind of black mask stretches from the temple area along the eye and up to the bridge of the nose, which is only slightly bordered on the sides by a white stripe. The bird's beak is short and black. The iris of the eye is dark in color, so from the outside it may seem that the bird is wearing a mask. The rest of the head, throat and back are covered with bright reddish-brown plumage. The top of the back is gray-brown, and the tail is gray. The belly of the bird is light beige. The plumage in the rump region is white.
The flight feathers on the wings are blackish-gray, but they have a few bright red spots. Some types of waxwings have a black collar under the breast, and the tip of the tail is yellow with black stripes. There are also bright spots on the wings. The plumage of such individuals is more gray. To a large extent, black waxwings differ from their relatives. Only females of this species have light gray plumage. Males, on the other hand, are jet-black in color. The tuft of birds always stands straight. The overall gloomy look is complemented by bright red eyes.
Waxwings - jugglers (video)
Gallery: waxwing bird (25 photos)
The area of distribution and migration of waxwings
The main habitat and nesting of these feathered creatures is the zone of taiga forests and forest-tundra of the northern hemisphere. Thus, they are common in Eurasia and North America. In spring and summer, they live in the northernmost latitudes, where they can find the necessary amount of food. The waxwing is a flying bird. However, the winters in this region are so severe that these birds are forced to migrate to more southern regions, where the temperature drops low, but is not critical for these creatures. Usually at the end of December waxwings arrive in central Russia, and also appear on the outskirts of cities in central Europe.
In winter, the American waxwing migrates to the central part of the continent. They do not migrate to more southern areas. Waxwings do not visit certain places every year. It remains to be seen how they find out where a lot of food is waiting for them, or whether they have a kind of instinct that allows them to accurately determine this. They always appear where the harvest of various berries is large and can feed them for a long time. When the food base in one area is depleted, they can again rise to the wing and look for a more prosperous area.
How do waxwings live in nature?
These migratory birds prefer a flocking lifestyle. Usually a group of waxwings includes more than 50 individuals. Particularly large flocks number about 150 thousand individuals. These feathered creatures, forced to roam, fleeing the cold, constantly change their diet. In the summer, when they are engaged in breeding offspring, they feed on food of predominantly animal origin in the rich taiga forests.
Their favorite foods are:
- butterflies;
- dragonflies;
- larvae;
- beetles;
- mosquitoes.
Their excellent aerodynamic properties allow you to catch insects right in the air. Waxwings are distinguished by increased gluttony, therefore, during the nesting period, they can destroy an unimaginable number of forest pests. In winter, this bird switches to plant foods. She prefers berries of all kinds.
Even in spite of severe cold, they linger in diets where there are a large number of seeds and berries of plants such as:
- viburnum;
- barberry;
- rose hip;
- Rowan;
- juniper;
- mulberry;
- lilac;
- mistletoe;
- cowberry;
- buckthorn;
- bird cherry;
- privet;
- hawthorn.
In early spring and autumn, birds living on such a diet may not behave quite adequately. Drunken waxwings are already a well-studied phenomenon. The thing is that they consume berries in huge quantities, in which, at a certain temperature of the external environment, a fermentation process is observed.
Thus, in the shortest possible time, waxwings can consume enough alcohol contained in berries to get a little drunk. This condition is extremely dangerous for birds, as they can crash into various objects, getting injured. In some cases, this leads to the death of birds. In addition, this greatly worries people, because often these feathered creatures crash into houses.
The waxwing bird provides a significant service to many plants, as it contributes to the spread of seeds. These creatures are distinguished by an increased metabolic rate, so they are forced to consume a significant amount of berries. After digestion, the seeds remain intact. After passing through the intestines of the bird, they are sown at a considerable distance from the mother plant. After such treatment, it is much easier for them to ascend.
Waxwing - a beautiful migratory bird (video)
Reproduction of waxwings in nature
Waxwings form pairs in winter. Having found a partner, the birds stay close and so migrate to their nesting sites. Upon arrival, the pairs separate from the flock and look for a suitable place. Tall old fir trees are best suited for home improvement. Usually the nests of these birds are located at a height of 10-13 m. At this time, the waxwing begins to sing for real. At this time, the sounds that birds make are reminiscent of a flute. Not all people manage to hear how this bird with a crest sings.
Only at the beginning of summer waxwings start building a nest. They are looking for a suitable place, hidden in the wilderness, to create a safe shelter for children. Usually the nests of these birds are spherical in shape. This is extremely important, since even in summer very cold rains occur here, which can cause the death of young animals.
Usually waxwing nests are built from small flexible twigs, blades of grass and other suitable materials. Inside the house is additionally covered with moss. The finished structure is very strong. The female then proceeds to lay eggs. Usually their number varies from 4 to 6 pieces. They have a delicate blue shell color. The female then incubates the eggs. The male does not participate in the incubation process, but at the same time brings food to the partner.
Chicks appear after 2 weeks. In the first days, the female can leave them only for a short time, as they need additional warming. Then both parents look for food for their offspring. With enough food, the chicks quickly grow stronger and after 2 weeks they begin to leave the nest. At the same time, they still need the care of their parents, so they stay close to them. By winter, young animals become completely independent and, along with adults, go on a long migration to regions with a milder climate. Usually, chicks reach sexual maturity only at the age of one. The life expectancy of waxwings in their natural habitat is approximately 10-13 years.
Attention, only TODAY!
Research project for primary school students "Wonder Bird Waxwing"
Author: Anastasia Mikhailova, 3rd grade student of the MBOU Yakshur-Bodyinsky secondary school of the Yakshur-Bodyinsky district of the Udmurt Republic.Supervisor: Baykuzina Elena Gennadievna, primary school teacher, MBOU Yakshur-Bodyinsky secondary school Yakshur-Bodyinsky district of the Udmurt Republic.
Description: this paper talks about feathered representatives of songbirds - waxwings, their habits, habitat and living conditions.
Purpose: the material is useful for children of primary school age.
Target: find out the habits, habitat and living conditions of feathered representatives of songbirds - waxwings, and also find out what they eat.
Tasks: find information about waxwings: pick up literature in the school and district libraries, study Internet sources.
One day, returning home from school, I found a flock of amazingly beautiful birds on a rowan bush, which had a bright and unusual color: pinkish-gray plumage, a white breast, and a bright yellow hue at the tip of the tail. There was a tuft on the head. I especially remember their singing: a quivering long trill, somewhat reminiscent of the chirping of grasshoppers. It became very interesting to me who these songbirds were and, having come home, I looked into the encyclopedia. It turns out that these elegant crested birds are waxwings. I wanted to learn more about the habits, habitat and living conditions of these feathered representatives of songbirds, as well as find out what they eat. This was the purpose of my work.
In order to find out, I set the following task for myself: to find information about waxwings: to pick up literature in the school and district libraries, to study Internet sources.
Description of waxwing
Waxwings are small, very beautiful songbirds common in the northern regions of Eurasia and North America. Representatives of the waxwing family are poorly understood today, so much of their life remains unknown even to biologists. A small family has only 3 species.
The waxwing is popularly considered a “beauty bird”, which cannot sing, but only chirps and whistles, uttering characteristic trills - “sviririri ...”. Flocks of waxwings, elegant crested birds, always attract the attention of people in cities and in the countryside. These short-legged birds are slightly smaller than a starling. Their tops are decorated with large pink tufts. The body (about 15 - 18 cm long) is covered with pinkish-gray plumage. It is brownish-gray with red plumage, from a distance it looks pinkish-gray. On the black wings, stripes of yellow and white are clearly visible. The tail, throat and stripe near the eyes are black. The tail is edged with a yellow stripe, the wings are decorated with a narrow white stripe. Up close, you can see the red tips of the flight feathers.
Waxwings are distinguished by a dense physique with silky and beautiful reddish-brown plumage. On the long wings of the songbird, white and yellow segments stand out clearly, the tail is decorated with yellow canvas. The beak is straight, at the end ends with a tiny tooth. The colorful appearance of the waxwing is completed by a small crest on the head and a red undertail. Females and males are similar in appearance.
They build their nests at different tree heights. The nest is made from the building material that is always nearby. These are dry twigs, grass stalks, moss and lichen. The entire structure (more than 20 cm in diameter and about 10 cm high) is lined inside with soft feathers and down.
Habitat
Waxwings usually live in coniferous and birch forests; in eastern Siberia they are noted among larch forests. They do not belong to migratory birds, although in winter they roam in large flocks south of their usual habitats. During this period, they can be seen in the Crimea, in the south of France, in Italy, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Turkey. And also in the Faroe Islands, in Iceland and Greenland.
The place of summer habitat and nesting of waxwings is the entire taiga zone of Russia, including the forest tundra. These are conifers, mixed forests and clearings of the northern territory of the country. Most often, waxwings are found in places where spruce, birch and pine trees grow.
Waxwing nutrition
In their homeland, waxwings feed on berries, small fruits, buds, young shoots and insects. Birds have got the hang of catching mosquitoes, dragonflies, butterflies and midges on the fly and finding larvae. In autumn, waxwings have to fly away from these places not so much from the cold as from hunger. They are driven by the need to search for places where there is a lot of food. When wandering, waxwings usually become "vegetarians". If there are a lot of berries, then the birds stop for a while and eat enough. They like the berries of mountain ash, juniper, viburnum, wild rose, barberry and other trees and shrubs.
Waxwing's appetite is excellent. Voracious waxwings eat a lot and quickly. They swallow the berries whole. In such quantity that their stomachs do not have time to digest food.
In the warm weather of autumn, many berries deteriorate 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 against any obstacle and die. In the spring, this happens when the birds get drunk on fermented maple sap.
These birds sometimes visit feeders and willingly peck at seeds and dried berries.
Conclusion.Having studied the literature in the library and interesting facts from Internet sources, I learned a lot about this wonderful waxwing bird, about their habits, habitat and living conditions.
Taking care of birds in a particularly cold and difficult winter period is necessary, because the fate of many birds largely depends on the kindness, generosity and mercy of a person. There is a proverb: "He who is full, the cold is not terrible for him." This will be the goal of my future work on making winter treats for birds.
Poem.
Do you remember the birds - fringe among the snows
On a spring day they flew before us,
It turned out they were waxwings,
We didn't know about those.
Curious points of the eyes
In plumage of bright colors,
A little trembling on a lilac branch,
They looked at us with disdain.
Everywhere the birds were calling,
These two only shook a bush,
They were silent about their own, the whistleblower,
Only the wind ruffled the tufts.
And although the waxwing is our singer,
But he did not give out the March trill,
It's not time - maybe it will break out in April
His silver bell.
With a red tint, like a parade,
Tail with a yellow stripe excellent,
And according to the book, he is “ordinary”,
Sparrows are our blood brother.
He is gluttonous and eats berries,
Unable to cope with food at times,
And inadvertently by their seeds
Sprinkles the land around.
How sweet is the hawthorn here,
And expanse of raspberries, mountain ash,
And lingonberry-blueberry mixture
Covers forest hollows.
Soon the snowy bed will melt,
Carrying us into the spring ...
We will know that there is such a bird,
Our forest cockerel is a waxwing.
(Vladimir Lanin)
Literature:
Birds of Russia. Determinant / A.A. Mosalov 2013
Encyclopedia of animals and plants. Over 750 species. F.Dirschke, 2013
They look like noisy foreign guests. These are whistles.
Description and features of the waxwing
The expressive appearance of this small, up to 20 cm, bird attracts: gray-pink plumage as the basis of the canvas, on which they applied black wings with stripes of bright yellow and white, red blotches, added a yellow tail trim and a funny pink crest on the head.
There is a black spot on the neck, black arrows near the eyes, the tail is also black. The short beak has a small tooth.
The people considered the bird "beautiful", unable to sing. Therefore, her name from the Old Russian language conveys the meaning of "whistling, screaming." But she still knows how to sing, the second interpretation of her name is associated with the sound of the flute.
Listen to the singing of the waxwings
The waxwing family is small, consists of 8 species and 3 subfamilies. Despite the paucity of waxwings, much remains poorly understood in their habitat. In general, all birds differ slightly, description of waxwings are similar, except for the black waxwing and its gray female. In other species, there are no noticeable differences between male and female.
The black waxwing is the owner of a long tail, unlike colored relatives, and red eyes. Its habitat is limited to the forests of Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Waxwings in winter, appearing in the city, as if they let you admire yourself, they let a person close. Their chirping, interrupted by a loud whistle, attracts attention. In addition to rowan berries, they are not averse to eating treats from feeders in parks and gardens.
Waxwing Habitat
The main habitat is coniferous, mixed, birch forests of the northern regions of Eurasia and North America. In Russia, the waxwing is a resident of the taiga, including the forest-tundra. Waxwings, migratory or not,- a controversial question, rather, they are recognized as nomadic, leaving their usual habitats in a southwestern direction in search of berries and fruits.
bird black waxwing
During the nomadic period, birds are less dependent on the usual conifers. They settle in places with rich food, and then move on. In Russia, they fly to the Crimea, the territory of the Caucasus. On the way, the camps cross the middle lane twice.
With spring warming flocks return to the north, where do waxwings live. It is interesting that ornithologists can learn more about birds during their flights, as in nesting places they are very sedentary and secretive.
Waxwing - bird public and nimble in the environment of flights. The active part of the day is spent in search of food, while flocks are different in number of individuals: from 5 to 30 heads. Beautiful flight of birds. In a straight and swift movement, waxwings soar in a curved line until a new rise.
Under natural conditions, birds are hunted by predators:, and among birds one can distinguish and, for which not only chicks and eggs in nests, but also adult birds are prey.
Waxwing nutrition
In its permanent habitat, in its native places, the waxwing feeds on berries, plant fruits, tree buds, and insects that are caught in flight. Various midges, mosquitoes, butterflies, dragonflies and their larvae become animal food.
With the advent of a cold snap, it is not so much frosts that force people to wander, but hunger. The search for food makes birds vegetarians: they linger in areas rich in berries of viburnum, barberry, mountain ash, dog rose, and juniper.
Almost any plant berries go into the diet: bird cherry, mistletoe, lingonberries, buckthorn, hawthorn, mulberry, lilac, privet.
They almost completely remove the “harvest” from bushes and branches, show dexterity when, hanging upside down, dodgyly take out the removed berries. Birds show special love for the white fruits of mistletoe, for which, in the places where it grows, waxwings are called mistletoe.
If under bushes or trees the snow is strewn with red spots of undigested berries, pecked peel and seeds, then this waxwings have arrived... Birds greedily and quickly peck at bright berries, continuously stuffing their crop so that their small body cannot cope with the amount of food excreted from the intestines almost unchanged.
They are considered useful seed dispersers in this way. Shoots of the resettled plants confirm this.
Find out who fed on rowan bushes: bullfinches, waxwings or rowan thrushes - you can use the remnants of the feast. and remove the berries evenly over the entire crown of the tree and, dropping the bead, descend in search of it. One can say about the waxwing: it sweeps everything in a row, but rarely descends to the ground. Why, if there are still berries on the branches.
Unrestrained gluttony causes bird misfortune, similar to intoxication, when fermented berries that linger on branches in a warm and humid autumn get into food. Intoxicated birds lose their bearings, cannot fly, crash against barriers, obstacles, and many perish. Such a picture is not at all funny, but a sad sight.
People are not always aware of what is happening and are frightened by beating windows, shop windows, walls of crazed birds. It is no coincidence that in a misunderstanding of events, such behavior was interpreted as a bad omen.
A similar phenomenon is also possible in spring, when birds consume fermented maple sap, which flows out of the bark after any damage.
It is difficult to predict the arrival and departure of beautiful Ukrainians. They move depending on weather conditions and berry yields, which vary from many factors. Therefore, the appearance of bright and noisy birds is still perceived as an unexpected gift, waxwing children brings a lot of joy in the knowledge of the natural world.
Reproduction and life span of waxwings
The nesting place of waxwings is in the main habitat area, where they return after a long winter wandering. Their mating season begins before departure. The resulting pair follows everywhere together. From May-June it is already time to build nests. At this time, seeing birds is a rarity, they become very secretive and cautious.
They are attracted by light forests, they choose large old spruces near water bodies in order to place the nest at an average height of up to 10-13 meters and hide it under a dense crown.
Everything nearby is selected for construction: thin spruce twigs, needles, soft feathers, fluff, pieces of lichen, moss, thin grass stalks. Even reindeer hair was found in old nests.
It turns out a nest of a spherical shape, strong and similar to a large bowl. The female incubates 4-6 gray-purple eggs with dark speckles for about 13-14 days. The male takes care of the female during this period, bringing her food.
After the appearance of the chicks, a pair of hooded seals is engaged in feeding together. First, the young feed on insects, larvae, and later switch to plant foods.
In 2.5 weeks, the chicks become almost independent and in winter they go to the roam along with adult birds. Birds become sexually mature by the age of one year. Every year couples are formed anew. The average life expectancy in natural conditions reaches 10-13 years.
Pictured is a waxwing nest
Keeping waxwings in captivity
For beautiful plumage, bird lovers seek to tame waxwings. Keeping in captivity does not cause much trouble, the bird quickly gets used to a person, but a solitary existence makes it inactive and lethargic, and there will be no singing at all, except for single whistles.
It is better to keep them in flocks in enclosures, then their activity and cheerful noisiness will be preserved, bringing joy to everyone.
