Several days ago I spotted a large flock of brown birds swarming the Yaupon Holly and Crabapple tree. They were about the size of mockingbirds, but more the color of sparrows. I took a few pictures and was delighted to see the characteristic black mask and yellow tail tip of the Cedar Waxwing.
The Cedar Waxwing is mostly frugivorous, which means it eats fruit. In fact, it’s one of the few birds that specialize in fruit, being able to survive on fruit alone for several months, especially in winter. They also eat insects and can catch them on the wing, like flycatchers. In the northern part of their range, the cedar berry is a large part of their diet.
I haven’t seen any waxwings for a couple of years. These nomadic birds travel in large flocks searching out fruit. After they exhausted pickings in the front yard, they discovered the ripening Serviceberries near the deck. What great timing--they lingered there long enough for me to get some great pictures.
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