Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings with orange instead of yellow tail tips began appearing in the north-eastern United States and south-eastern Canada beginning in the 1960s. The orange colour is the result of a red pigment picked up from the berries of an introduced species of honeysuckle. If a waxwing eats the berries while it is growing a tail feather, the tip of the feather will be orange. The Cedar Waxwing is one of the few temperate dwelling birds that specialize in eating fruit. It can survive on fruit alone for several months. Unlike many birds that regurgitate seeds from fruit they eat, the Cedar Waxwing defecates fruit seeds. The Cedar Waxwing is vulnerable to alcohol intoxication and death after eating fermented fruit.

Size: 16-19 cm (6-7 in)

Wingspan: 33 cm (13 in)

Weight: 45-69 g (1.59-2.44 ounces)

Medium-sized songbird.

Mask on top of head. mask.

Red tip to tail and yellow feather edging in wings.

Small bill.

Grey belly.