Are waxwings migratory or not? Bird with a crest on its head: which of them are found in our country? Next is a video film for children - where the waxwing lives

It's about the look BombycillagarrulusL. , which in Russian literature is simply called waxwing. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary indicates the masculine gender of this word. English name - Bohemian Waxwing.

The bird itself has quite characteristic features, and identifying the species is not difficult. Most bird lovers know it. Determining the sex and age of a bird is a more delicate task for amateurs, but in many cases it can be solved when four external specific signs are available for observation.

However, the task of identifying sex and age is nevertheless complicated by the following circumstance: these external signs in four groups (adult males and females, young males and females of the first year) partially overlap. And yet, knowledge of these signs in many cases can help with “fine identification.”

Indications of the personal characteristics of each sex and age group in waxwings are rarely found in the domestic literature for bird lovers, which prompts us to compile a review on this topic based on available foreign literary sources.

First, let's turn to such an authoritative source as Lars Svensson et. al. COLLINS BIRD GUIDE, 2nd Edition. “The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe.” 2010, p .448. The differences inherent in males, females and young birds in waxwings, according to Svensson, can be represented in the following Russified fragment of a drawing from this guide.

The picture shows from left to right a young female (first winter plumage), an adult female and an adult male. By clicking on the picture, you can view it in better quality. As can be seen from the above fragment, 4 areas with one or another external identification feature are indicated on the bird.

1. Dark spot on the throat under the beak.
2. Red leathery plates at the ends of the secondary and tertiary flight feathers of the wing
3. V
4. Yellow stripe along the edge of the tail

Let's consider them in order with the involvement of another source.

1. A dark spot on the throat under the beak (“beard”).

According to Svensson:

*) The figure shows a female in her first winter plumage, but the differences in young males and females are not discussed in the text.

The same sign in Kieran Foster's article on the websitehttp://www.davidnorman.org.uk/MRG/Waxwings.htm presented as follows:

2. Red leathery plates at the ends of the secondary wing feathers

According to Svensson:

Figures (a) and (b) show the open wings of an adult and a young bird (first winter), respectively. Both wings show red tips on the secondary and tertiary feathers. It can be seen that there are differences in their number and length. This data can be summarized in the following table:

Data on the number and length of red endings

From the above data, only one obvious sign follows: if the bird does not have a red stripe on its folded wing, then this is a young female in her first winter plumage. All other cases are characterized by parameter overlap.

On a folded wing, a red stripe (ribbon) is located across the wing.On average, the red stripe on the folded wing of an adult male is slightly longer and wider than that of a female, and noticeably b o longer than in young birds (I repeat that a young female may not have it at all).

3.V -shaped markings at the ends of the primary flight feathers

This sign, perhaps, can be considered the most noticeable in waxwings. The folded wing of a waxwing has, as it were, a set of V -shaped signs, nested one inside the other and forming a chain along the wing. The right “wing” of the sign is yellow, the left is white. And they can have different degrees of manifestation.

As follows from the first drawing with birds, young birds have a chain of V -the mark looks like a yellow line with a broken thickness, because the left wing is white V - there is no sign. This can be seen in Kieran Foster's open wing. In an adult male V -shaped sign is “bold”, in an adult female it is thin, especially the left white part.

4. Yellow stripe along the edge of the tail

Qualitatively, the situation with the yellow transverse stripe at the end of the tail feathers can be described as follows: the widest stripe is in an adult male, narrower in an adult female, and the narrowest in young birds.

An article by Kieran Foster gives the following numerical data on the height (width) of the yellow stripe at the end of the tail:

The yellow stripe on the tail is characterized by bò greater width at the edges of the tail compared to its width at the center tail feather. And these data confirm the above qualitative relationship between the size of the yellow stripe in a male, female and young bird.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the presence of overlap of the named characteristics in the considered groups makes identification more reliable when all 4 characteristics coincide, and a single characteristic may not work.

Who are waxwings? There is a popular belief that the Waxwing bird, a drunkard, having pecked at fermented berries, tumbles in the snowdrifts or, like a drunken man, flies, staggering from side to side, sometimes not noticing barriers and obstacles in its path. And someone will say waxwings - bright whistles, like New Year's toys - bells, hung on the branches of rowan trees in city parks and squares, amusing passers-by with their ringing.

Waxwing habitat

The waxwing mainly lives in mixed, birch and coniferous forests in the north of the Eurasian part of Russia or Europe and North America. In our open spaces, the waxwing lives in taiga forests and forest-tundra.

Some people have a question: is the waxwing a wintering bird or not? Most consider these birds to be nomads, but it would be more accurate to say that the waxwing is a conditionally nomadic bird. If there is a mild winter in its habitat and there is a sufficient amount of food, the waxwings may stay and overwinter. Otherwise, the flocks leave their range and move to southwestern areas, such as:

• Caucasus and Crimean Peninsula in Russia,
• Poland, France, Italy in Europe,
• flying all the way to Mexico in North America.

In search of food (various fruits and berries), waxwings make short stops along the way, so-called nomads, and then fly further. With the arrival of spring, the flocks return to the north, their native land.

Description of the waxwing

The description of the waxwing bird is simple; our hero resembles a sparrow in size. The bird has a size of 18 to 23 cm and a weight of 60 to 70 g. The largest representatives of the species sometimes reach a weight of 100 g. The color is not so bright, but varied. The bird's body has a gray-pink tint, like a cloudy sky at sunset. The wings are black, interspersed with white and yellow stripes, as well as faint red colors.

On the head there is a pointed crest like a cap. From the body to the tail, the color scheme goes from gray to black, ending with a bright yellow stripe, as if a brush had been dipped in paint. From the beak to the chest the color is black in the form of a spot, around the eyes there is also a black color, reminiscent of a carnival mask.

The European female and male do not differ in color, but the Black Waxwing lives in America. It is jet black in males and gray in females. Red eyes and a long, pointed tail. Some scholars classify black birds as a separate subspecies of birds.

Our hero's singing is similar to the sounds of a pipe, so children's toys - bird whistles - are associated with this bird. When conceived, the waxwing is a fast and nimble bird; only at the time of nesting does it behave secretly and practically not catch the eye. But during winter flights, our hero can be found everywhere in parks, squares, and gardens.

Waxwing nutrition

Most of the time, the waxwing is busy searching for food, gathering in flocks of 5 to 30 or more individuals. In its native places of “permanent residence,” the waxwing’s diet is varied. Various larvae, dragonflies, midges, butterflies, mosquitoes, caught in flight, feed the chicks with them. Among plant foods, they prefer tree buds, young shoots of plants, mistletoe, mulberries and other berries. And in the autumn they can profit from the fruits of garden trees left over from the unharvested harvest.

With the onset of cold weather and the lack of available food, waxwings, heading for a nomadic migration, stop in places with an abundant harvest of various berries. Almost all berries are eaten:

• dog-rose fruit,
• barberry,
• juniper,
• viburnum,
• bird cherry,
• hawthorn,
• mistletoe,
• rowan,
• lingonberries,
• privet,
• lilac and mulberry.

They, akin to locusts, completely sweep away all the berries hanging on the branches, greedily stuffing their crops, often hanging upside down. The waxwing will never go down to the ground and snow, unlike bullfinches, to pick up a fallen berry. Mistletoe - this is how they were called in some places where mistletoe grows, for their love for the white, juicy fruits of this plant.

Greedily eating a large number of bright and juicy berries, the body of a rather small bird cannot cope with such an amount of food, and removes excess berries from the body. After this, characteristic red spots from pecked and undigested berries form on the snow. From these tracks one can judge the arrival of waxwings. This feature of birds can be attributed to the original method of transferring and distributing plant seeds.

Often, when eating everything possible, fermented berries left on the branches end up in food. Intoxicated birds lose the ability to fly, do not orient themselves in space, and crash into various obstacles. The sad, frightening sight has long been interpreted as a bad omen. Most often, drunken waxwings are found in the spring after the birds have consumed fermented maple sap.

Classification

At the moment, there are different types of waxwings; only 9 species of birds have been described, forming two families that previously belonged to one:

• Silk waxwings;
• Waxwings

Silky waxwings form 2 genera and 6 species of birds; due to their greater openness, the black silky waxwing is best described.

Waxwings include one genus and 3 species, which include the most common common waxwing. There are two of them in Russia.

• American waxwing, another name for cedar waxwing, is common in the northern United States and Canada. This individual is distinguished from all waxwings by its yellow belly. Of all individuals, they have an average size with a body length of about 20 cm.
• The Amur waxwing is one of all its relatives included in the Red Book. It is the smallest bird of the entire species, reaching only 16 centimeters in length. Individuals of this species are widespread not only in the Far Eastern region of Russia, but also beyond its borders in the countries of Asia and Japan.

• The common waxwing lives in our Siberian taiga. The birds reach a length of up to 25 cm.
• The black waxwing is the only species of all birds whose colors differ among different sexes. The female is gray in color, and the male is black, with a bluish tint. They have an elongated tail and a pointed crest on the head. Habitat in America, mainly in the south of the continent.
• Silk waxwing - lives in the tropics and subtropics of America. The main part is distributed in Mexico and is distinguished by the absence of a crest in comparison with other brothers.

The differences between the ordinary waxwing and the silk waxwing are only in the color and shape of the elongated tail. In all other characteristics: the size of the wings, legs, beak, they are similar.

Reproduction and lifespan

In the spring, last year's partners do not always stay together; some waxwings form new pairs. Therefore, this bird cannot be called monogamous. Pairs create nests in the vicinity of other pairs. At this time, during early May to early June, the birds become quiet. Neither the singing nor themselves can be heard. Mating games involve the male feeding the female the berries he has obtained. After which begins the process of mating and construction of housing for future offspring.

Waxwings try to build nests on coniferous trees, in sparsely located plantings, near water, at an altitude of about 10-12 m. The shape of the nest resembles a bowl. To build a strong nest use:

• feathers,
• spruce branches,
• grass,
• lichen,
• tufts of fur from various animals.

The female lays up to 6 bluish-purple eggs and incubates for 14-15 days. Meanwhile, the male is busy collecting and delivering food to the female.

The newly hatched chicks are fed insects, which promotes their rapid growth; after 2-3 weeks, the chicks are ready to fly out of the nest, preparing for independent life. At the age of one year, waxwings are already ready to create offspring. The life cycle of these birds is about 10-13 years, although some die at an early age from predators.

Waxwing in captivity

What to feed a waxwing at home

• insects,
• meat,
• cottage cheese,
• carrot,
• pieces of fruit or dried fruit,
• vegetables and greens.

The floor of the cage or enclosure must be dry and clean; sawdust is used to maintain cleanliness and cleaning is carried out in a timely manner.

Breeding in captivity

The process of breeding these birds in captivity is similar to their behavior in the natural environment. For birds that have created a pair, it is necessary to bring the diet as close as possible to what the birds would receive in their natural habitat. You should increase the amount of protein foods and introduce into your diet:

• insects,
• insect larvae,
• ant eggs.

Future parents should also be isolated from outside interference and anxiety from others

When a bird with a crest on its head catches your eye, it’s hard not to pay attention to it. And all because of the unusual appearance that some representatives of the bird group are endowed with. Many species of crested birds live on the territory of our vast country and other continents. They live in forests, villages, steppes, and park areas of cities. We will tell you about the amazing appearance of such birds, their habitat, behavioral characteristics and their way of life.

Crested tribe

There are many birds found on our planet, including crested ones. Depending on the climatic zones and weather conditions prevailing in different parts of the Earth, these birds choose a comfortable environment for themselves. They are distinguished by their lifestyle, diet, character traits, behavior patterns and body size. Conventionally, all these birds are united by an interesting crest emblazoned on their heads.

Crested birds include:

• waxwing;
• common lark;
• oatmeal;
• hoopoe;
• sharp-crested woodpecker;
• peacock;
• hoatzina;
• Great Grebe;
• cockatoo;
• northern cardinal;
• secretary bird;
• jay and others.

Many of the listed crested birds are found in abundance in the vast expanses of our homeland. Others are of exotic origin and live in the sultry tropics.

Winter bird waxwing

Waxwings are small but very showy birds that live in Russian forests. The weight of an adult individual is up to 70 grams, and the body length is no more than 18 cm. Bright red spots contrast against the background of the grayish-brown plumage of the body. The bird's wings and tail are black with striking yellow and white splashes.

The waxwing is found in the Moscow region, Siberia, Crimea, as well as in the Caucasus and Central Asia. She is not afraid of the cold, so she feels comfortable even in the northern regions of the country, taiga and forest-tundra.

The bird feeds on the fruits of rowan, rose hips, and tree sap, which sometimes makes it drunk. This happens if she eats fermented berries or nectar. Subsequent inappropriate behavior of the waxwing in this state threatens to display aggressiveness, cause injury to other birds, as well as the risk of falling into the clutches of local predators: martens, squirrels, owls, and hawks.

Another crested one that lives in Russia, as well as Persia, India, and China. It has bright, motley plumage and differs from other field birds in its relatively large size. An adult bird weighs from 110 to 330 grams, and its body length is up to 30 cm. The black and white feathers of the lapwing shimmer very beautifully in the sun and have a metallic tint.

The lapwing chooses open areas as a habitat: meadows, steppes, fields where potatoes grow, sparse forests. It is important that the area is characterized by a high degree of air humidity, and that there is a body of water nearby.

This crested bird chooses insects and small invertebrates as food.

Lapwings create one pair for life, building their nests on the surface of the ground. One clutch does not contain more than four eggs at a time.

This bird with a crest is distinguished by its modest size: weight up to 45 grams, and body length does not exceed 19 cm. The lark is characterized by a gray-brown color. External inconspicuousness contributes to good camouflage in dry grass, leaves and branches and on the ground. The crest on the lark's head is small.

The favorite habitats of larks are roadsides, sand pits, sparse forests, and railway embankments. The small bird feeds on insects and cereals. Therefore, during autumn, flocks of larks move to warm regions: Korea, Africa, Kenya, Arabia, and southwest Europe.

After mating, up to five light yellow or beige eggs appear in the larks' nest. The female incubates the offspring for two weeks. 10 days after birth, the chicks are ready for independent adult life.

Oatmeal-remez

This bird with a crest on its head is quite small. It weighs only 20 grams, and its body length is 15 cm. Outwardly it is very similar to an ordinary sparrow. It is distinguished from its relatives by its plumage, colored in gray-beige tones with white and red stripes. The crest of males is slightly larger than that of females. The habitats of buntings are swampy areas, near which there is a drinking pond, as well as open spaces where shrubs grow.

Remez buntings feed mainly on insects and cereals. When they disappear, these birds go to East Asia for the winter.

Buntings build their nests directly on the ground. Birds use holes or bushes to camouflage themselves.

Forest and waterfowl crested

Common birds that inhabit forests and wetlands are the sharp-crested woodpecker, jay, hoopoe, hoatzin and great grebe.

The small jay also has a crest that matches the color of its beige-brown or blue-black plumage. There are black and black and white head decorations. The inhabitant of deciduous and bush forests loves to feast on bugs, lizards, small rodents, and frogs. A strong beak curved at the end helps the bird get food.

The hoopoe is another bright representative of the world of forest birds. Its crest is very pronounced, like other signs of this bird breed. The plumage of the bird on the back, chest and abdomen is beige. The contrasting white and black stripes on the wings and tail look very impressive.

Crested grebes and hoatzins prefer ponds and swamps as habitats. The hoatzin is a tropical heat-loving bird. As for the great grebe, it lives in the territory of the Old World.

Exotic with a tuft

The feathered inhabitants of distant hot countries, as a rule, look very elegant and bright. The crest, along with variegated plumage, is one of the characteristic colors of these birds.

The number of overseas birds that nature itself “crowned” includes:

• a cockatoo with a huge crest resembling a mohawk;
• the secretary bird (sagittarius serpentarius), which has a graceful build, long legs, a crest, wings and a tail;
• peacock, including a rare white variety;
• northern cardinal, which has bright red feathers.

This list would be incomplete without the most exquisite tropical birds. We are talking about the mythical birds of paradise. This category includes 45 varieties. Most of them live in New Guinea. From this exotic variety, the six-feathered crested bird of paradise is distinguished. On her head are six bright feathers resembling a crown. Their size is disproportionately large compared to the length of the body, which looks very unusual.

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Waxwings are small songbirds that are more often heard of than seen. They constitute a small family of waxwings, in which there are only 8 species. All waxwings are divided into 3 subfamilies - true waxwings, silky waxwings and waxwing shrikes.

Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum).

In general, the appearance of all these species is the same. These are densely built birds with thick but soft plumage. Their average size varies from 16 to 23 cm, weight is about 100 g. The beak of these birds is straight and short with a tiny tooth at the end. The wings are long, the tail of real waxwings is short and blunt-cut, while that of silk waxwings, on the contrary, is long. All types of waxwings have a small crest on their heads. Most species are gray with pink, yellow or green tinges, the wings are gray or black with small white, yellow and red markings, and the tail often has a yellow stripe. The only exception to this rule is the black waxwing, in which the males are solid black and the females are gray. This is the only species of waxwings in which sexual dimorphism is expressed; in other species, males and females look the same.

Male black waxwing (Phainopepla nitens).

The range of these birds consists of three separate parts. True waxwings (common, Japanese, cedar) live in temperate and subpolar regions of Europe, Asia and North America. These birds inhabit the forest-tundra and coniferous forests of the taiga type. Silk waxwings live in the tropical forests of Central America and the extreme south of North America (Mexico). The waxwing shrike lives in Central Asia and is found in open forests and bushes. Silk waxwings and waxwing shrike are sedentary, while other species make large-scale migrations in winter. It is during this period that they can be found in cities and forests far to the south of the taiga (they can fly to France, Mongolia, and Turkey). During nesting time, these birds hide in the thickets of the forest and are rarely seen.

A flock of cedar waxwings in the wisteria thickets.

Waxwings are very nimble and active birds; they spend most of the day in search of food, while the birds often roam in small noisy flocks of 5-30 individuals. True, during the nesting period, flocks break up into separate pairs and the birds behave quite quietly at this time. The voice of waxwings resembles the melodic “svir-svir” and its sound resembles a pipe (hence the name of the birds).

Waxwings feed on insects, buds and young shoots. But their most favorite food is berries. This is a seasonal food found only in autumn and winter, but waxwings prefer it to any other. They eat the berries of almost all forest plants - rowan, bird cherry, juniper, viburnum, mistletoe, lingonberry, rose hip, hawthorn, buckthorn, barberry, mulberry. Waxwings are very voracious and fill their crops with berries almost continuously.

Common waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus).

The breeding season begins in May. Pairs build nests in trees, and northern species of waxwings prefer spruce trees - in their dense crowns the nests are invisible. The nest of waxwings is spherical in shape with a neat tray lined with feathers and moss. The female lays 3-7 bluish-gray eggs with small specks. She incubates the eggs without a partner, but the male brings her food during incubation. Incubation lasts 2 weeks, then the parents jointly feed the brood. The chicks spend another 2 weeks in the nest. Young birds that leave the nest unite with adults in family groups and begin to wander.

A pair of waxwings during courtship.

Like all forest birds, the enemies of waxwings are owls, hawks, crows, magpies, martens, and squirrels, which can destroy nests or catch adult birds. But people treat them favorably. Due to their attractive appearance and beautiful songs, waxwings have long been known as songbirds. It is not difficult to keep them at home, but it is even better not to languish the birds in captivity, but to organize winter feeders for them. Being forest hermits in summer, waxwings willingly visit feeders in winter, and it is very interesting to watch them.

Cedar waxwings bathe in the stream.

The waxwing is a small bird, but quite bright. This feathered creature received its name due to the characteristic whistle that it makes. Only 8 species of birds can fully belong to the waxwing family. The most common species are silken and true waxwings, as well as shrikes. These feathered creatures are small in size, which is why they have never been actively hunted.

Waxwing is a small bird, but quite bright

Not all people know what this bird looks like. However, often, when they gather in large flocks, they become real pests, eating berries grown by people. For example, the American waxwing is a real threat to blueberry plantations. Birds often cannot swallow particularly large fruits, so after several attempts they simply throw them on the ground. They cause enormous damage to the farm, so farmers often resort to poisons, which can cause the death of a large number of these creatures.

The body length of these amazing feathered creatures is about 19-23 cm. Their body weight varies from 60 to 68 cm. The tail is short. The wingspan reaches 36 cm. The legs of waxwings are quite short. This allows birds to hide them from the cold in warm plumage. Fingers are very tenacious. The body is very dense and knitted. The head is supported on a large neck. The bird's plumage fits tightly to the body. This structure allows waxwings to survive even in extreme cold. Among other things, they are excellent flyers, capable of performing the most incredible maneuvers in the air.

The description of most species of these birds is approximately the same, with the exception of the black variety. The common waxwing looks colorful. The birds have a bright red-brown crest on their heads. From the temple area along the eye and up to the bridge of the nose stretches a kind of black mask, which is only slightly bordered on the sides by a white stripe. The bird's beak is short and black. The iris of the eye is dark in color, so from the outside it may seem that the bird is wearing a mask. The remaining part of the head, throat and back are covered with bright red-brown plumage. The top of the back is gray-brown, the tail part is gray. The bird's belly is light beige. The plumage in the rump area is white.

The flight feathers on the wings are black and gray in color, but they have several bright red spots. Some species of waxwings have a black collar under the breast, and the tip of the tail is yellow with black stripes. There are also bright spots on the wings. The plumage of such individuals is grayer. Black waxwings differ significantly from their relatives. Only females of this species have light gray plumage. Males are distinguished by their coal-black color. The crest of birds always stands straight. The overall gloomy appearance is complemented by bright red eyes.

Waxwings - jugglers (video)

Gallery: waxwing bird (25 photos)

Distribution and migration area of ​​waxwings

The main habitat and nesting place of these feathered creatures is the zone of taiga forests and forest-tundras of the northern hemisphere. Thus, they are common in Eurasia and North America. In spring and summer they live in the northernmost latitudes, where they can find the required amount of food. The waxwing is a migratory bird. However, winters in this region are so severe that these birds are forced to migrate to more southern regions, where the temperature drops low, but is not critical for these creatures. Usually at the end of December, waxwings arrive in central Russia, and also appear on the outskirts of cities in central Europe.

In winter, the American waxwing migrates to the central part of the continent. They do not migrate to more southern areas. Waxwings do not visit certain places every year. It remains to be seen how they know where a lot of food awaits them, or whether they have a unique sense of smell that allows them to accurately determine this. They always appear where the harvest of various berries is large and can feed them for a long time. When the food supply in one area is depleted, they can rise on the wing again and look for more favorable terrain.

How do waxwings live in nature?

These migratory birds prefer a flocking lifestyle. Typically, a group of waxwings includes more than 50 individuals. Particularly large flocks number about 150 thousand individuals. These feathered creatures, forced to roam to escape the cold, constantly change their diet. In the summer, when they are breeding, in the rich taiga forests they feed mainly on food of animal origin.

Their favorite dishes are:

• butterflies;
• dragonflies;
• larvae;
• beetles;
• mosquitoes

Their excellent aerodynamic properties allow them to catch insects in flight. Waxwings are characterized by increased gluttony, so during the nesting period they can destroy an incredible number of forest pests. In winter, this bird switches to plant food. She prefers berries of all kinds.

Even despite severe cold, they linger in diets that contain a large number of seeds and berries of plants such as:

• viburnum;
• barberry;
• rose hip;
• Rowan;
• juniper;
• mulberry;
• lilac;
• mistletoe;
• cowberry;
• buckthorn;
• bird cherry;
• privet;
• hawthorn.

In early spring and autumn, birds living on such a diet may not behave quite adequately. Drunken waxwings are already a well-studied phenomenon. The thing is that they consume huge quantities of berries, in which, at a certain ambient temperature, a fermentation process is observed.

Thus, in the shortest possible time, waxwings can consume quite a lot of alcohol contained in the berries to get a little drunk. This condition is extremely dangerous for birds, as they can crash into various objects, causing injury. In some cases, this leads to the death of birds. In addition, this greatly worries people, because often these feathered creatures crash into houses.

The waxwing bird provides a significant service to many plants, as it facilitates the dispersal of seeds. These creatures have an increased metabolic rate, so they are forced to consume significant amounts of berries. After digestion, the seeds remain intact. Having passed through the intestines of the bird, they are sown at a considerable distance from the mother plant. After this treatment it is much easier for them to ascend.

Waxwing - a beautiful migratory bird (video)

Reproduction of waxwings in nature

Waxwings form pairs in winter. Having found a partner, the birds stay close and thus migrate to their nesting sites. Upon arrival, the pairs separate from the flock and look for a suitable place. Tall old spruce trees are best suited for home improvement. Typically, the nests of these birds are located at a height of 10-13 m. At this time, the waxwing begins to really sing. At this time, the sounds that the birds make resemble a pipe. Not all people manage to hear this bird with a crest sing.

Only at the beginning of summer do waxwings begin to build a nest. They are looking for a suitable place, hidden in the wilderness, to create a safe shelter for the children. Typically, the nests of these birds are spherical in shape. This is extremely important, since even in summer very cold rains occur here, which can cause the death of young animals.

Typically, waxwing nests are built from small flexible twigs, blades of grass and other suitable materials. The inside of the house is additionally covered with moss. The finished structure is very strong. Next, the female begins to lay eggs. Usually their number varies from 4 to 6 pieces. They have a delicate blue shell color. Next, the female incubates the eggs. The male does not participate in the incubation process, but at the same time brings food to his partner.

The chicks appear after 2 weeks. In the first days, the female can leave them only for a short time, as they need additional warmth. Then both parents look for food for their offspring. With enough food, the chicks quickly grow stronger and after 2 weeks begin to leave the nest. At the same time, they still need the care of their parents, so they stay close to them. By winter, the young animals become completely independent and, along with adults, go on a long migration to regions with a milder climate. Chicks usually reach sexual maturity only at one year of age. The lifespan of waxwings in their natural habitat is approximately 10-13 years.

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