UK: What berries are your Waxwings eating? (1 Viewer)

J

Jack Dawe

Well-known member

• Dec 3, 2012

• #1

I expect most will be eating rowan berries, but I'm wondering else and in what order of preference. Hawthorn? Cotoneaster? Pyracantha? Also, if there's enough input to keep this thread going, I'd be interested to see how their preferences change as the winter goes on and the rowan berries disappear.

I'm asking partly because I'd quite like to find some of my own and am wondering where best to look (not many rowans locally, but plenty of the other plants I mentioned), but also because I'm curious anyway.

 

J

Jack Dawe

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #2

Any birders out there?

 

bartolli

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #3

They're still on rowan here, seem to be avoiding everything else even tho the rowan is getting a bit sparse now.

 

Dmacaskill

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #4

I had 4 in the garden a couple of days ago, feeding on Rosehips, still a few haws & plenty cotoneaster left.


Dean

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Dec 6, 2012

• #5

Cotoneaster and Palm seeds (!) reported from Falmouth, Cornwall.

The ones at Mylor (nearby) a couple of weeks back were on Yew berries.

 

J

Jack Dawe

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #6

Thank you for the replies. Keep them coming!

I'm very interested that the Mylor birds were eating yew berries. I had the impression (no idea why - obviously wrong) that Waxwings didn't like them. Palm seeds is surprising! Maybe I needn't give up hope with my sunflower hearts yet!! :-O

 

S

shorebirder

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #7

Excuse my ignorance Jack but, big red ones, little red ones and little black ones in Scarborough
Dave

 

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J

Jack Dawe

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #8

Thanks, Shorebirder. No.1 is rosehips. No.3 is a type of cotoneaster (horizontalis, I'd guess). I'm not sure about the black ones (I'm not actually that good at plants!) - bilberries perhaps?

 

Dmacaskill

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #9

Jack Dawe said:

Thanks, Shorebirder. No.1 is rosehips. No.3 is a type of cotoneaster (horizontalis, I'd guess). I'm not sure about the black ones (I'm not actually that good at plants!) - bilberries perhaps?

Click to expand...

The black ones look like Wild Privet berries.


Dean

 

Xenospiza

Distracted

• Dec 6, 2012

• #10

The flock I saw on Sunday (albeit not in the UK) fed on Wild Privet, Guelder Rose and (shortly) Hawthorn.

 

Jay11

New member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #11

The one that I have seen this morning was feasting on my crab apples (malus evereste).

 

lewis20126

Well-known member

• Dec 6, 2012

• #12

2 in Hampshire last weekend were on Cotoneaster salcifolia and Sorbus intermedia (latter well over but still apparently edible..)

cheers, a

 

J

Jack Dawe

Well-known member

• Dec 7, 2012

• #13

So far that's

3 x cotoneaster ssp
2 x rosehips
2 x wild privet
yew
hawthorn
guelder rose
Swedish whitebeam (sorbus intermedia)
crab apple
palm seed

I've seen them on sloes in the past too. I guess the obvious conclusion is that Waxwings will turn to pretty much anything once the rowan berries are gone (which I assume they will mostly are by now). I wonder whether cotoneaster comes out top in this tiny sample because they are so popular in towns and gardens where the birds are most likely to be noticed?

 

Brian2

Well-known member

• Dec 7, 2012

• #14

I'd say Rowan is the first choice but I'm sure I've seen some eating Elderberry and the odd apple too. I have also seen them consume Cotoneaster.

 

Xenospiza

Distracted

• Dec 7, 2012

• #15

I've seen them on mistletoe on more than one occasion.

 

Jos Stratford

Eastern Exile

Staff member

• Dec 7, 2012

• #16

Perhaps of interest, but the default choices here in the Baltics (where Waxwings are usually fairly common) are apples and/or grapes.

 

Brian2

Well-known member

• Dec 7, 2012

• #17

I'm pleased to hear about the apples as I have been putting them out hoping passing Waxwing will drop in....the local Blackbirds think Christmas has come early.

 

J

Jack Dawe

Well-known member

• Dec 7, 2012

• #18

No mention of pyracantha? Surely they must take those too? There are one or two bushes in our road and I always look at them in hope!

 

edenwatcher

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2012

• #19

Huge flock in Dundee (500+) feeding on yew berries. Rowan berries are long gone around here.

Rob

 

J

John o'Sullivan

Well-known member

• Dec 10, 2012

• #20

I've got a few bushes/small trees around here ( Bassaleg Newport)covered in red berries. They are covered in red berries every year as nothing seems to want to eat them. I know this is very limited info but any-one got any idea what they might be.