Waxwings are surprising in that their plumage makes them look much larger than they actually are. They are in fact slightly smaller than a Starling.
They get their name from the red waxy tips to the secondary wing feathers which resemble the wax used to seal letters long ago before someone invented a glue you can lick. Why would someone do that ?
The number of waxy tips increases with age, and females have fewer than males.
A young Waxwing in the car park by Dan McKie
Waxwings breed in forests of Scandinavia and Arctic Russia, with a few birds arriving here each winter. However, when the berry crop fails in Northern Europe, then large irruptions occur as birds flee southwards to find food. Normally we got one or two birds which are quite tame and like to feed on the Hawthorn berries along the Wildlife Watchpoint Hedgerow. This year is a bit different with a small flock of 9 Waxwings irregularly visiting the car park.
It’s hard to imagine but Waxwings are quite acrobatic, feeding on insects in summer but changing to berries in winter. Interestingly, because they often feed on berries which have started to ferment, their livers have adapted to remove the toxins quickly, so they don’t stay drunk for long.
Does this mean evolution is working against us ?