CEDAR WAXWING 81 



havior developed in an unusually social species, although the dance 

 may take place long before the breeding season. 



Aretas A. Saunders (1938) says: "In early July one sometimes sees 

 what appears to be courtship in these birds. At such a time, the action 

 of the one I suppose to be the male suggests a young bird wishing to be 

 fed. His wings tremble and whirl about, suggesting the wing motions 

 with which a starling often accompanies its songs. The notes at such 

 times are the beady, somewhat rattlelike ones, rather than the clear 

 whine that this species uses most commonly." 



P. M. Silloway (1904) reports: "Two wax wings were sitting near 

 each other on a lower branch of a fir, about twenty feet from the 

 ground. They were evidently courting. He would sidle over to her, 

 rub his breast against hers, I'ub his bill caressingly upon hers, and then 

 sidle back to his former place. Then the other bird would go through 

 a similar performance." 



Margaret Morse Nice (1941) describes the behavior of a pair of wax- 

 wings while they were building their nest: "I first became aware of 

 the parents of my birds on June 19," slie says, "when I heard what I 

 took to be incessant begging from a baby bird; it proved to be the 

 female waxwing begging from her mate with voice and violent wing 

 movement. He fed her four times, but she continued to beg, crowd- 

 ing against him. Later I saw a waxwing take a piece of nesting 

 material to a near-by cedar. On the 20th she was again begging for 

 ten to fifteen minutes at a time." 



The two following quotations are charming, clear descriptions of 

 the courtshiplike play, one between a pair of birds, the other between 

 members of a large flock. Speaking of a day early in summer, Har- 

 riet McCoy (1927) says: 



As we came up to some sumac and other shrubs, we saw a slight movement, 

 as of birds, near the ground. Looking closer, we were delighted to see two Cedar 

 Waxwings perched together on a branch in a little space clear of foliage. We 

 saw after a moment, that they seemed to be engaged in a dance or game, and we 

 watched, half doubting our eyes. One bird had a tiny flower or very new leaf 

 in its bill. The other, standing perhaps 6 inches away, all at once hopped close, 

 took the leaf, and with one hop came back to its position. There it stood, 

 straight, its posture being perhaps a cue to the other bird, who now approached 

 and, to our wonder, received the loaf, gave one hop back and stood erect. There 

 was rhythm and precision about the little exercise which made it appear a 

 conscious performance on the part of the birds and one which they seemed to 

 enjoy greatly. We thought we had never seen anything with such a pretty grace 

 and delicacy of movement and color. They repeated it several times and when 

 they flew off at last, we were left with a feeling of having been audience to a 

 scene in a fairy play. 



Caroline M. Stevens (1911) writes: 



Coming through an apple orchard one noontime in May, 1909, I stopped to 

 watch a large flock of Cedar Waxwings feeding on the apple blossom petals, 

 and then it was my good fortune to see as pretty a sight as could be Imagined 



