Cedar Waxwings Along the Courtenay River

Over the last couple of days I’ve noticed cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) along the Courtenay River during my regular nature walks to the Courtenay Airpark with the kids. The waxwings are named for the waxy red secretions at the tips of secondaries. While it is not 100% clear, the red tips may help males attract females. The distinctive black mask, yellow band at the base of the tail, and “jaunty” tuft of feathers on the top of the head make this bird distinctive and easy to identify. Note the white undertail coverts that separate this species from Bohemian waxwing.

A Diet of Berries

There seems to be several flocks working the Black Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata) that I wrote about back in mid-May. This shrub has now gone to berry and the distinctive double berries (black in colour) are ready for birds to eat. Cedar waxwings are one of the few North American birds that specialize in eating fruit. In addition to black twinberry, they also eat dogwood, serviceberry, cedar, juniper, and hawthorn berries. Sometimes waxwings will become intoxicated when they eat overripe and fermenting berries.

I talked with a couple of birders from England who were birding the Airpark and they claimed to have seen a couple of Bohemian Waxwings in the flock. However, they seemed to be unfamiliar with the field mark that separates them from the more common Cedar Waxwing. I’ve kept my eye open and have been methodical about searching through the waxwings but I’ve been unable to find any birds with cinnamon brown undertail coverts. Needless to say, I’ll keep looking!