Cedar
Waxwings on Toyon
Edward Rooks
1990
Acrylic on paper
11" x 14"
Commissioned by John Kriewall
Named the
chatterers of Carolina by Catesby in 1731,
silk-tail of the cedars by Viellot in 1807,and
finally waxwing in 1817, these highly vocal,
opportunistic, and irruptive birds, often form
large autumn and winter flocks. The highly
social aggregations apparently enhance foraging
and protection. The waxy red wing tips may serve
as badges indicating age or foraging success
(measured by fruit-derived red pigment
sequestered in the wax), because not all have
them, and of those that do, not all are equally
endowed.
Stanford notes:
Toyon, pyracantha and other berry-rich bushes
and trees lure bands of Cedar Waxwing whose diet
is made up of about 80 percent fruit, flower
petals, and sap. Waxwing flocks may include
American Robin, and are commonly seen along
Frenchman's Road and along the upper portions of
Stanford Avenue. More than 30
campus bird
species
forage on berries.
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