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Waxwings

Waxwings are a charming group of birds belonging to the genus Bombycilla, which is generally considered the only genus in the family Bombycillidae. These birds are known for their unique, smooth plumage that comes in shades of pinkish-brown and pale grey, complete with a black and white eyestripe and a distinct crest. Their name comes from their bright red tips on certain wing feathers, reminiscent of sealing wax. Typically found in northern forests, waxwings are not long-distance migrants but do travel nomadically in search of food. Their diet primarily consists of fruit, although they can switch to consuming sap, buds, flowers, and insects when fruits are scarce. In terms of breeding, they nest close to water and construct loose nests on branches, with the female incubating the eggs while both parents feed the young. Waxwings prefer nesting in areas rich in fruit and do not defend a territory aggressively. There are three species within this genus: the Bohemian waxwing, the Japanese waxwing, and the cedar waxwing, each with slightly different geographical ranges. Waxwings have also made appearances in art and literature, including Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Pale Fire" and songs by The Menzingers and Joanna Newsom. The genus name Bombycilla is derived from Vieillot's interpretation of Latin for "silktail," combining "bombyx" for silk and a misinterpretation of "cilla" as tail. These birds are visually distinctive with their velvety feathers, square tails, dark bills, eyes, and feet, and are known for their high-pitched calls. In terms of behavior, waxwings are social and can congregate in large flocks, especially when berry crops are low, sometimes resulting in large movements beyond their usual range.

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Accentors
African & Green Broadbills
Albatrosses
Alcippe Fulvettas
Anhingas, Darters
Asian Barbets
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Australasian Babblers
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Australasian Warblers
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Bristlehead
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Bushtits
Bustards
Buttonquail
Caracaras, Falcons
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Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies
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Coursers, Pratincoles
Crab-plover
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Crombecs, African Warblers
Crows, Jays
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Cuckooshrikes
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Dippers
Drongos
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Elachura
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Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra
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Flufftails
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Gannets, Boobies
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Honeyguides
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Hylocitrea
Ibisbill
Ibises, Spoonbills
Ifrit
Indigobirds, Whydahs
Ioras
Jacanas
Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes
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Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Larks
Laughingthrushes & Allies
Leaf Warblers & Allies
Leafbirds
Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Magpie Goose
Megapodes
Melampittas
Monarchs
Mottled Berryhunter
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Nuthatches
Old World Parrots
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Ospreys
Owls
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Painted-snipes
Parrotbills & Allies
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Penduline Tits
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Pittas
Ploughbill
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Reed Warblers & Allies
Rollers
Sandpipers, Snipes
Shrikes
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Skuas
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
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Sunbirds
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Sylviid Babblers
Thrushes
Tits, Chickadees
Treecreepers
Treeswifts
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Typical Broadbills
Vangas & Allies
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Wallcreeper
Waxbills, Munias & Allies

Waxwings

Weavers, Widowbirds
Whipbirds
Whistlers & Allies
White-eyes
Woodpeckers
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
Wrens
Jayshrike
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Species Categories

AccentorsAfrican & Green BroadbillsAlbatrossesAlcippe FulvettasAnhingas, DartersAsian BarbetsAuksAustral Storm PetrelsAustralasian BabblersAustralasian RobinsAustralasian WarblersAustralasian WrensAustralo-Papuan BellbirdsBabblers, Scimitar BabblersBarn OwlsBee-eatersBirds-of-paradiseBoatbillsBristleheadBulbulsBuntingsBushtitsBustardsButtonquailCaracaras, FalconsCassowaries, EmuCettia Bush Warblers & AlliesChats, Old World FlycatchersCisticolas & AlliesCockatoosCormorants, ShagsCoursers, PratincolesCrab-ploverCranesCrombecs, African WarblersCrows, JaysCuckoosCuckooshrikesCupwingsDippersDrongosDucks, Geese, SwansElachuraFairy FlycatchersFairy-bluebirdsFantailsFigbirds, Orioles, TurnagraFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFlowerpeckersFlufftailsFrigatebirdsFrogmouthsGannets, BoobiesGoldcrests, KingletsGrassbirds & AlliesGrebesGround BabblersGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHoneyeatersHoneyguidesHoopoesHornbillsHylocitreaIbisbillIbises, SpoonbillsIfritIndigobirds, WhydahsIorasJacanasJewel-babblers, Quail-thrushesKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLaughingthrushes & AlliesLeaf Warblers & AlliesLeafbirdsLongspurs, Snow BuntingsMagpie GooseMegapodesMelampittasMonarchsMottled BerryhunterNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOld World ParrotsOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOspreysOwlsOystercatchersPainted-snipesParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPittasPloughbillPloversRail-babblerRails, Crakes & CootsReed Warblers & AlliesRollersSandpipers, SnipesShrikesSittellasSkuasStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbirdsSwallows, MartinsSwiftsSylviid BabblersThrushesTits, ChickadeesTreecreepersTreeswiftsTrogonsTropicbirdsTypical BroadbillsVangas & AlliesVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWallcreeperWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWeavers, WidowbirdsWhipbirdsWhistlers & AlliesWhite-eyesWoodpeckersWoodswallows, Butcherbirds & AlliesWrensJayshrike

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