Animalia Life
Bombycilla garrulus
SUBFAMILY
Bombycillinae
TAXONOMY
Bombycilla garrulus Linnaeus, 1758.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Waxwing; French: Jaseur borйal; German: Seidenschwanz;
Spanish: Ampelis Europeo.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
6.7–8.3 in (17–21 cm), wingspan: 14.5 in (37 cm), 2 oz (56 g).
Larger and slightly shorter-tailed than the cedar waxwing, appears
small-headed and round-bodied. Sleek, crested bird,
overall plumage grayish with rusty tinge on forehead and
cheeks. Black eye-mask and chin patch, white edge between
eye-patch and chin, little to no white on forehead. Undertail
rust colored. Yellow band on terminal end of tail, yellow and
white bands on wing. Characteristic red wax droplets on some
secondaries of many adults. Juvenile resembles adult, but lacks
wax droplets and rust coloring on head.
DISTRIBUTION
Holarctic, northern Eurasia, to northeast and north-central
China, northwest and north-central North America.
HABITAT
Old stands of coniferous trees, with open canopy and rich field
layer.
BEHAVIOR
Very social species, flocking throughout year. Characteristic
silvery buzzing sirr of flock call. Nomadic and irruptive; occasionally
large flocks invade Europe and the United States, presumably
due to fruit shortages in northern regions.
Non-territorial, but may show aggressive
BEHAVIOR
near nest.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Diet mainly sugary, fleshy fruits, especially rose-hips (Rosa spp.)
and mountain-ash berries (Sorbus spp.); also insects in spring and
summer. Birds may gorge themselves until they can hardly fly.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Monogamous. Late breeder, from early June through August.
Lays four to six pale bluish gray eggs spotted with black in woven
cup-like nest. Female incubates, 12–15 days. Young hatch
naked and blind; both parents feed nestlings; fledging 14–17
days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Widespread but can be intermittent, numbers
of breeding pairs may vary considerably from year to year.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Has been considered a pest in some areas during irregular
mass-invasions in Europe.
Photo Gallery of - Bohemian waxwing
