THE BOHEMIAN WAXWING. 



{Ampelis ^arrulus.) 



The words of Neltje Blanchan give 

 expression to one's thoughts while watch- 

 ing a flock of Bohemian Waxwings as 

 they perch among the branches of the 

 cedars. "Exquisitely clothed in silky- 

 gray feathers that no berry juice is ever 

 permitted to stain, they are dainty, gentle, 

 aristocratic-looking birds, a trifle heavy 

 and indolent, perhaps, when walking on 

 the ground or perching; but as they fly 

 in compact squads just above the tree- 

 tops, their flight is exceedingly swift and 

 graceful." 



These dainty and mild - mannered 

 "Waxen Chatterers" — they always seem 

 to be speaking to their companion in a 

 soft, oft-repeated lisping call— are more 

 than w^elcome visitors, for they come to 

 us in the winter when nearly all the birds 

 have gone to their southern resorts. Ex- 

 cepting during the breeding season, the 

 Waxwings are decidedly gregarious. In 

 the fall young and old, male and female, 

 gather in numerous flocks and wander 

 in a most irregular manner in search of 

 good feeding grounds. At such times, 

 these birds exhibit a most sociable and 

 amiable disposition and are affectionate 

 toward their associates. 



Frequently a number may be seen sit- 

 ting in a row upon a branch, resting from 

 their labors. During the wandering sea- 

 son of each year, their habits are very 

 uncertain and they may be called rovers. 

 At one time it was said that during fif- 

 teen years there had been no record of 

 the occurrence of the Waxwings in New 

 England. In the year 1903 Dr. Daw- 

 son wrote : "Years have passed since 

 any have been seen in Ohio, but they 

 are likely to reappear any winter." It 

 may be said that the Bohemian Wax- 

 wings are irregular but occasionally abun- 

 dant winter residents in various parts of 

 the northern portions of the United 

 States. A lack of food in one locality 

 and an abundance in another is the in- 

 centive which causes a flock of Wax- 

 wings to suddenly move on. They arc 



very fond of juniper berries and a locality 

 w^here these are abundant is quite sure 

 to attract them. Many years ago a very 

 large flock which seemed to cover the 

 berry bearing juniper shrubs of an area 

 about ten rods square, was observed in 

 northern Illinois. "While feeding, those 

 in the rear were continually flying and 

 alighting in advance, thus keeping the 

 flock moving so that it was difficult to 

 overtake them. A few days later the 

 flock separated into numerous smaller 

 ones, and so departed for the north." 



The ' Bohemian Waxwings are also 

 known as the Black-throated and Lap- 

 land Waxwings and they are not infre- 

 quently called Silktails. Their range in- 

 cludes the northern portions of the north- 

 ern hemisphere where they breed in the 

 coniferous forests. In winter, they mi- 

 grate southward, but very irregularly, as 

 far as Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado 

 and northern California. Like their rela- 

 tions, the cedar waxwings, their appear- 

 ance in any locality during the winter is 

 so uncertain they may well be called 

 "roving gypsies," and the similarity is 

 emphasized by the fact that they feed 

 and travel in bands. Then, too, these 

 birds rarely exert themselves, excepting 

 to satisfy hunger and they have been 

 known to rest on the branches of a tree 

 for hours at a time. While their flight is 

 easy and graceful, locomotion on the 

 ground is hard for them, and they walk 

 with difficulty. It would seem that all 

 natural objects which are somewhat er- 

 ratic in their appearance, or appear only 

 at long intervals, have been associated 

 with superstitious ideas. The Bohemian 

 Waxwings have not been free from asso- 

 ciation with evil. In the southern por- 

 tion of its European range, as in Ger- 

 many, their appearance in enormous 

 flocks, after intervals of several years' 

 absence, was many years agO' regarded 

 by some persons as a sure indication of 

 the approach of an era of pestilence, 

 famine, or war. 



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