Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Cedar waxwings are medium-sized birds around 6–7 in (15–18 cm) long and weighing roughly 30 g (1 oz). Wingspan ranges from 8.7 to 11.8 in (22 to 30 cm). They are smaller and browner than their close relative, the Bohemian waxwing (which breeds farther to the north and west). Their markings are a "silky, shiny collection of brown, gray, and lemon-yellow, accented with a subdued crest, rakish black mask, and brilliant-red wax droplets on the wing feathers." These droplets may be the same colour as the madrone berries they are known to eat. Voice: The two common calls of these birds include very high-pitched whistles and buzzy trills about a half-second long, often represented as see or sree. Its call can also be described as "high, thin, whistles." They call often, especially in flight.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Japanese Waxwing
Bombycilla japonica
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
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cedar Waxwing and Japanese Waxwing.