Dafter, Chippewa Co., in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA. February 23, 2012
Credit: Bill Bouton

North American field guide

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

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Identification

Field notes

20 cm (8") Common but irregular in west; rare east in winter. Open coniferous forests, muskegs; in winter at berry trees. Sleek and elegant grayish bird with a crested head, black face mask, and yellow terminal tail band.

Rust color on head and rusty undertail coverts. White, yellow and red spots on wings.

Gregarious and often seen flycatching. Similar Cedar Waxwing is smaller, browner, with white undertail coverts.

Song: high buzzy twittering.

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Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 6 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Bohemian Waxwing

6 rules
Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 1
What Color were the UNDERTAIL COVERTS ?
Reddish or brown · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
Light band at the tip · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?
No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States
result:759-bohemian-waxwing:1:1 Source: 759 Bohemian Waxwing, row 1
Rule 2 12 criteria confidence 6
What Color were the UNDERTAIL COVERTS ?
Reddish or brown · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
Light band at the tip · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?
No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:759-bohemian-waxwing:2:1 Source: 759 Bohemian Waxwing, row 2
Rule 3 6 criteria confidence 1
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?
No
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?
Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Only or mostly in flight over freshwater · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northeastern Canada or United States
result:759-bohemian-waxwing:3:1 Source: 759 Bohemian Waxwing, row 3
Rule 4 6 criteria confidence 1
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?
No
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?
Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Only or mostly in flight over freshwater · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southeastern United States
result:759-bohemian-waxwing:4:1 Source: 759 Bohemian Waxwing, row 4
Rule 5 6 criteria confidence 3
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?
No
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?
Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Only or mostly in flight over freshwater · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:759-bohemian-waxwing:5:1 Source: 759 Bohemian Waxwing, row 5
Rule 6 6 criteria confidence 7
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?
No
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?
Feeding at flowers
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland · Freshwater shoreline · Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Only or mostly in flight over freshwater · Only or mostly in flight over land
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northwestern Canada or United States
result:759-bohemian-waxwing:6:1 Source: 759 Bohemian Waxwing, row 6