T
he cedar waxwing is one of the most beautiful
small birds on Kiawah Island. Mother Nature
went all out adorning its features. She took a
rather neutral colored bird—brownish gray—
and added a soft yellow pastel belly, then applied tiny dabs of
vivid red and yellow to its feathers at various places. If that
was not enough, she decided the head needed embellishment.
So why not ornament it with a crest? And finally, add a black
velvety mask that looks as if it were applied with the precision
of a fine painter.
Many common bird names are derived from their location
or for the person who discovered the species. This special
creature’s common name comes from the cedar tree that
produces its major food source. Waxwing is from the red
tipping of its secondaries that appear as if they were dipped in
wax. Audubon referred to them simply as “Cedar Birds.”
Cedar waxwings are easy to spot since they travel in
very large flocks that sometimes dissipate during the
nesting season. They wander like nomads in search of
succulent fruits rich in glucose, one of their primary food
requirements. It is not unusual to see them appear suddenly,
eat voraciously from a tree heavily laden with berries, then
disappear. Their distinctive call is very shrill and extremely
high pitched to the human ear. These birds are members of
what I call the “Avian Socialite Club.” Not only do they travel
together, but there is documentation of their communally
sharing food while perched side-by-side on a branch. Club
members even know how to “party”—they literally become
intoxicated. Sometimes cold temperatures cause the fruits
they consume to ferment thus chemically converting the
sugars to alcohol. If you are lucky, you may see these boozy
birds flying wildly out of control.
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