Waxwing: A bright bird that can sing (a photo)

Classification

View: Waxwing

Family: Waxwing

Subfamily: Real waxwings

Order: Passeriformes

Class: Birds

Type: Chordates

Domain: Eukaryotes

Dimensions: length – 18-23 cm; weight – 60-67 column

Life span: 13 years

The waxwing is the closest relative of the common sparrow. But unlike the latter, this bird has a beautiful, bright outfit and a small crest on the head.

The waxwing got its name for the sounds made “sw-ri-ri-ri”, similar to a pipe instrument.

The subfamily of true waxwings is ordinary, Amur (Japanese) and cedar (American) waxwing. The head of all these three species is decorated with a crest.

They differ in color and habitat. More detailed a description of each species is presented below.

In addition to the true waxwings, there are two more subfamilies: silk and shrikes. Outwardly they differ little from each other for exception of the representative of the silk subfamily – black waxwings.

This is the only species among relatives, which differs in color by gender: the plumage of males has a plain black shade, females – gray.

How the female and male black waxwing look like shown in the photo below.

Left male, right female

Content

• 1 Habitat
• 2 Characteristic
• 3 Appearance
• 4 Key Features
• 5 Nutrition
• 6 Behavior
• 7 Reproduction
• 8 Content and breeding
• 9 Importance in nature and culture

Habitat

In the summer, the common waxworm inhabits the taiga zone Russia, as well as forest-tundra. She dwells in both coniferous and mixed forests.

Nomadic birds fly to the Altai mountains wintering.

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In early June, they return from wintering to nesting sites. IN the period of roaming waxwings reaches the Crimea, the Caucasus and the Middle Of Asia.

Twice a year, in spring and autumn, “crested” birds can be meet in the middle zone of Russia, namely in the Moscow region and among the birds of the Moscow region.

They are not afraid to fly into the parks of large cities. Like siskins, these are very gullible birds that contributed to their partial extermination.

Waxwing bird inhabiting inaccessible and sparsely populated the northern part of the country leads a secretive lifestyle.

It looks like an ordinary waxworm

Amur or Japanese feathered inhabits the Russian Far East. Also, the species is found in the Khabarovsk Territory, Eastern Yakutia, on Sakhalin.

For the winter, some representatives are sent to Japan, Taiwan, Korea.

Amur waxwing slightly different from ordinary

Cedar or American waxwing lives in the forest zone of Canada, as well as Central and North America.

In the photo a cedar waxwing

Characteristic

Waxwing bird is very mobile and most of the time is in search of food.

This feathered is almost impossible to meet alone, so how he prefers to be in a pack of 5 all the time individuals and more.

There are even flocks uniting up to 400 birds. But such cases are very rare.

The flock breaks down in the winter, and the later the birds begin to roam, the smaller its number. The number of migrations depends on flock size: the larger it is, the more often a change of place occurs.

As for the anatomical structure, all representatives real waxwings have a dense physique with a soft and thick plumage.

Once a year (October-November) the bird completely sheds. View has a short tail and long wings. At the end of a short and direct beaks are small teeth at the end.

The legs of these birds are very strong, with bent claws. it allows them, along with swifts and swallows, hold firmly on a branch.

But such a structure of the legs is inconvenient for movement on the ground. Bird descends to the ground only when he wants to drink.

Females are slightly heavier than males: average weights 58 and 54 grams. respectively. But in the literature there is a description of what is individuals 72 gr.

Pair of waxwings

Appearance

Real waxwings are not much different from each other and have slight difference in color.

Description of a common waxwing

The feathered one has a short body length not exceeding 23 centimeter. It is endowed with a gray color with a pink tint.

Black wings are decorated with red, white and yellow feathers. Black also prevails around the eyes and neck of the bird. Tip The tail has black and yellow stripes.

Some individuals may not have a red plate. Young birds acquire a characteristic color only after the first autumn molt.

It looks like an ordinary waxwing

Description of the Amur waxwing

The description of this species is not much, but still different from the previous one. The Amur individual is slightly smaller than an ordinary waxwing: the body length most often does not exceed 16 centimeters.

There are slight differences in color: on the tail instead of yellow the stripes are red, and the tips of the wings are gray.

The Amur species is listed in the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region and Primorsky Territory. Also between Russia, Japan and Korea signed agreement on the protection of the Amur waxwing during migration.

Description of Cedar Waxwing

American representatives of birds have a body size of 15-18 centimeters. A distinctive feature of the species is yellow belly.

The tip of the tail also has a yellow stripe. Gray wings with red feathers.

Most of the time the birds spend on the trees and go down to the ground only if the plucked berry is dropped

Key Features

• The waxwing bird loves to eat and is constantly behind food absorption process.
• Most of the time birds spend on trees and descend to the ground only if dropped berry or want to drink.
• The species refers not to migratory, but to nomadic birds.
• In the winter season, when the main food becomes berry, waxwings can be intoxicated due to fruits that begin to roam in their intestines.

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Having met a flock of waxwings, they can always be caught by their beloved occupation – absorption of food.

Food

In summer, the waxwing bird eats:

• larvae;
• midges;
• mosquitoes;
• butterflies;
• cicadas;
• dragonflies.

Starting in the fall and in the winter season, the main food feathered becomes:

• Rowan;
• viburnum;
• juniper;
• lingonberry;
• rosehip;
• mistletoe;
• barberry.

Having met a flock of waxwings, they can always be caught by their beloved occupation – absorption of food. They eat very fast, swallowing whole berries without chewing.

The stomach does not have time to digest food in large quantities, therefore their litter consists of semi-digested berries.

Waxwing at a meal

After a few weeks, the waxwing leaves the hatched place “and sent to other parts of the world in search of food.

In the spring, these birds can also eat swollen tree buds, mainly poplar, willow and aspen, last year’s cranberries, cranberries.

Behavior

Often people become witnesses of such a phenomenon as “drunk waxwings. ”

This usually happens in the spring and autumn, when birds eat the whole berry indiscriminately, among which fall fermented fruits.

The fermentation process may also begin due to the large amount eaten berries that roam the waxwings intestines. The most gluttonous individuals in spring and autumn are almost always found in intoxicated.

In this case, the bird waxwing cannot to control. The individual loses its orientation in space and does not able to fly in a straight line.

Interesting! Until the 20th century, knocking at the waxwing window was a source of bad omen. AND only then did ornithologists explain this behavior of birds to intoxication, in which they are not able to navigate the environment environment.

It’s not uncommon to see a drunken bird crashing into obstacles in their way. Because of this, birds can get injured or even die.

Photo of drunk waxwings

Breeding

During the nesting period, which begins in May and lasts through July, birds are broken into pairs. But some individuals and during life in the pack try to stay in pairs.

It was noted that even in November-December in sunny weather the males began courtship.

Female builds a nest of grass and needles, which lays inside with moss and feathers. Construction is carried out at different heights from 4 to 15 meters from the ground.

The average diameter of the nest is 20 cm, the height is 10 cm. The masonry consists of of 4-6, less often 7 bluish or gray eggs in a black speck size 2×1.5 cm.

Hatching lasts two weeks. The male at this time provides their companion with the necessary food from insects, young shoots and berries.

After the offspring, until the chicks become independent, the father provides food and them.

Interesting! During courtship, male treats the female with a berry or a larva. If the treat is accepted, then this means that the female gives her consent to the partnership.

What does courtship of a male in the mating season look like

After birth, the chicks gain independence already after 2-2.5 weeks. Puberty in young birds comes to a year of life.

The waxwing is a monogamous bird and every year is looking for a new partner or partner. The female hatches the offspring once a year.

In the nesting season, feathered individuals lead a secretive lifestyle and rarely seen.

Content and breeding

Waxwings, as well as carduelis, can contain to breed in captivity. This requires a spacious aviary, in which the flock will live. Living in groups, not alone, in artificial conditions, these birds lead a more active lifestyle and more often trill.

In an unnatural habitat, life expectancy waxwings are greatly reduced. Very important as wide as possible diversify the diet of involuntary individuals.

Otherwise, the waxwing bird loses its bright beautiful color: it becomes pale, nondescript.

It is necessary to provide birds with carotene-containing products. IN in captivity they are practically omnivorous and gladly absorb any berry.

In addition, it is very important to include carrots, oatmeal in their diet cereals, millet, raisins, cottage cheese, boiled meat and insects. Summer domestic birds need to be given greens and willow catkins.

During the period of feeding the chicks, they must enter insects, eggs of ants.

Since waxwings eat a lot, they also emit no less litter. To create hygienic conditions, the floor of the enclosure is desirable sprinkle with sawdust.

Significance in nature and culture

Waxwing bird is a food source for wild animals and birds, so it plays an important role in the food chain. Her enemies are:

• martens;
• hawks;
• magpies;
• crows;
• owls.

Birds kill harmful insects, preventing them sharp reproduction. Other than that, they are natural distributors of seeds and promote the resettlement of plants.

To date, the view of the Amur waxwing is listed in Red a book. This was partially influenced by the capture of individuals flying to China to wintering.

Amur birds are used there as food or as decorative bird.

Waxwing bird is reflected in folk art: children’s whistles that were also used by shepherds were made in the image of these birds.

Description of waxwings is also found in fiction in works of Alexander Barkov, Galina Baykova and Anatoly Gorbunova.

Most often, authors make fun of this bird, which in mind the specifics of its spring and autumn diet is in a state intoxication.

Waxwing: A bright bird that can sing

The waxwing is the closest relative of the common sparrow. (a photo). Has a characteristic crest and a pleasant multi-colored coloring.