February 2021: Cedar Waxwings
Winter has finally settled in on Hershey’s Mill and the Northeast. Our ponds have frozen over, our wintering ducks have moved to a better feeding area with running water in Ridley Creek. Now, it’s time to turn our binoculars to the shrubs, bushes, and trees……
One of the birds you may encounter is the Cedar Waxwing. A very colorful medium-sized bird, it is tan in color with a crest, a black mask, red-tipped wing feathers that look like they have been dipped in wax, and a striking bright yellow band on their tail.
They may be seen in small flocks, on the edge of our wooded areas. They forage in the cedar cones, eating berries and then fruit and insects during summer months.
The tail of a Cedar Waxwing usually has a yellow band at the end but in the 1960s, birds with orange bands started to show up in the northeastern United States. The orange color results from red pigment found in non-native honeysuckle fruits introduced into their diet. Maybe you will be lucky enough to find one!
Happy Birding.