Bird Guide

Bohemian Waxwing vs Japanese Waxwing

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

Small54 gForest

The Bohemian waxwing is a starling-sized bird 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) in length with a 32–35.5 cm (12.6–14.0 in) wingspan, and an average weight of 55 g (1.9 oz). It is short-tailed, mainly brownish-grey, and has a conspicuous crest on its head. The male of the nominate subspecies has a black mask through the eye and a black throat. There is a white streak behind the bill and a white curve below the eye. The lower belly is a rich chestnut colour and there are cinnamon-coloured areas around the mask. The rump is grey and the tail ends in a bright yellow band with a broad black border above it.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Bohemian Waxwing
Recorded by Doug Hynes · Song · Sandringham, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Marina Potapova · CC0
Japanese Waxwing (Bombycilla japonica)

Japanese Waxwing

Bombycilla japonica

Small42 gForest

The Japanese waxwing is 15–18 cm in length with a weight of 54–64 g, and its plumage is mostly pinkish-brown. It has a pointed crest, a black throat, a black stripe through the eye, a pale yellow centre to the belly, a grey rump, rusty-red undertail coverts, and a dark grey tail with a black-bordered red tip. The wings have a pattern of black, grey and white with a diffuse reddish-brown bar across the greater covert feathers. Its call is a high-pitched trill but there is no true song.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: coniferconifer from japan · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Bohemian Waxwing and Japanese Waxwing.