Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

Photo by Rayh

Description

7 1/2 -8 1/2" (19-22 cm). A sleek, gray-brown, crested bird. Similar to Cedar Waxwing but larger, grayer, and with conspicuous white wing patches and rusty (not white) undertail coverts.

Old World Range :

Breeds rather sparsely in north-central Sweden, Finnmark and the northern half of Finland, and more commonly across northern Russia between about 60� and 66�N.

A partial migrant with many birds remaining in breeding range through the winter but makes irregular invasions further south and south-west. Normal winter range extends throughout Scandinavia, Germany and Netherlands in the west and south to the Black Sea in the east. During invasion years variable numbers reach Britain, mainly on the east coast from Shetland to Kent, usually in October-November and staying until February-March, rarely later although summering pairs have occurred.

New World Range :

Breeds from Alaska, Yukon, Mackenzie, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba south to central Washington, northern Idaho, and northwestern Montana. Wanders irregularly farther south and east during winter.

Habitat :

Breeds in the taiga, usually in pine or spruce, sometimes mixed with birch, rarely in mountains but found in foothills and lowlands. In autumn seeks berry-bearing trees and bushes and occurs in gardens, parks and along hedgerows on farmland and on roadsides. In Britain preferred berries are hawthorn and cotoneaster.

Voice :

High-pitched, lisping seeee, harsher and more grating than call of Cedar Waxwing.

Identification

Photographed at Spurn Pt, E.Yorks.

Bird Song

<flashmp3>Bombycilla garrulus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

External Links

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