The cedar waxwing is named for its wax-like wing tips. Its fondness for the small cones of the eastern redcedar gave this bird its common name. It is a native of North and Central America. Cedar waxwings are sociable, seen in flocks year round.
雪松太平鳥因其蠟狀翼尖而得名。它們喜愛東部雪松的小球果，這也是它俗名的由來。它原產於北美洲和中美洲。雪松太平鳥善於交際，常年成群結隊。
When I took a walk, I was attracted to the outside of a yard by the sound of birds on January 12, 2021. In this yard there is a lemon tree, an orange tree and a persimmon tree whose fruits are almost gone. I saw birds mostly like the persimmon tree. They flew around or jumped up and down on the tree. When I went home and looked at the photos, I realized that I was attracted by the call of the red-whiskered bulbul. I also saw purple finches and waxwings that I have never seen before. I came here again two days later, unfortunately I never saw waxwing again.
2021.01.12 我在家附近散步，被鳥聲吸引到這家庭院外，這裏種了檸檬樹、橘子樹和果實將落盡的柿子樹。好幾隻鳥就只喜歡這柿子樹，忙碌的飛來飛去或跳上跳下，回家看了照片，才知道我是被紅耳鵯的叫聲吸引過去的，吃果子的還有紫红朱雀及這種我從未見過的太平鳥。隔兩天又走到這裡來，很可惜沒再看到這種鳥。
I was trying my luck again on January 18, 2021. I was very lucky to see several waxwings (I guess they are cedar waxwings). Their eyes are like Green Hornet’s blindfolds. From a certain angle they resemble aliens in science fiction movies. Am I too imaginative? LOL!
2021.01.18 我又來碰運氣了，很幸運看到好幾隻太平鳥(我猜牠們是雪松太平鳥)。它們的眼睛像青蜂俠的眼罩，從某個角度好像科幻劇中的外星人，我是否想像力太豐富了？哈哈!
I said to my husband on my way to Santa Fe Dame on Marych 19, 2021 that, except for Great-tailed Grackle, the birds in Santa Fe Dam and Peck Road Park are very similar. When I got out of the car and walked a few steps, I saw several birds jumping up and down on the branches of Schinus molle (Peruvian peppertree). When I took a closer look, they turned out to be waxwings. I am very happy and surprised. After walking most of the park and back where I started, I found a large group of Waxwings staying on another tree. I took a few backlit photos. When I wanted to go to another corner, I somehow alarmed them. The large flock of birds (much more than I saw) flew away. it’s too bad that I can’t get more clear pictures.
2021.03.19我在來 Santa Fe Dame 的路上才回答我先生說，除了大尾擬八哥外，Santa Fe Dam 及 Peck Road Park的鳥類都很類似。結果下了車走幾步路，看到數隻鳥在秘魯胡椒樹枝上跳上跳下，仔細一瞧居然是太平鳥，好高興也好驚訝。走了大半圏的公園回來，發現這一大群太平鳥在另一棵樹上停留觀看，照了幾張有些背光的照片，想走到另一個角度時，不知怎麼驚動了它們，一大群鳥（比我看到的多得多）就飛走了。真可惜。
Notes 筆記
- The cedar waxwing is named for its wax-like wing tips. It is a native of North and Central America, breeding in open wooded areas in southern Canada and wintering in the southern half of the United States, Central America, and the far northwest of South America.
- The genus name Bombycilla comes from the Ancient Greek bombux, "silk" and the Modern Latin cilla, "tail"; this is a direct translation of the German Seidenschwanz, "silk-tail", and refers to the silky-soft plumage of these birds. The specific cedrorum is Latin for "of the cedars".
- Cedar waxwings are medium-sized birds. They are smaller and browner than their close relative, the Bohemian waxwing (which breeds farther to the north and west). Their most prominent feature is this small cluster of red wax-like droplets on tips of secondary flight feathers on the wings.
- Preferred habitat consists of trees at the edge of wooded areas, or forests, especially those that provide access to berry sources as well as water. They are frequently seen in fruiting trees. Waxwings are attracted to the sound of running water and like to bathe in and drink from shallow creeks.
- Outside the breeding season, cedar waxwings often feed in large flocks numbering hundreds of birds. This species is nomadic and irruptive, with erratic winter movements, though most of the population migrates farther south into the United States and beyond, sometimes reaching as far as northern South America.
- Cedar waxwings are sociable, seen in flocks year round. They are non-territorial birds. They move from place to place depending on where they can find good sources of berries.
- Mating season for this bird begins around the end of spring and runs through late summer. The male will do a "hopping dance" for the female. If she is interested, she'll hop back. During courtship the male and female will sit together and pass small objects back and forth, such as flower petals or an insect. Mating pairs will sometimes rub their beaks together.
- Cedar waxwings eat berries and sugary fruit year-round with insects becoming an important part of the diet in the breeding season. Its fondness for the small cones of the eastern redcedar gave this bird its common name. They eat berries whole. Because they eat so much fruit, Cedar Waxwings occasionally become intoxicated or even die when they run across overripe berries that have started to ferment and produce alcohol. They are sometimes responsible for significant damage to commercial fruit farms and thus can be considered a pest, especially because they feed in large groups.
- 雪松太平鳥因其蠟狀翼尖而得名。它原產於北美洲和中美洲，在加拿大南部開闊的林區繁殖，在美國南半部、中美洲和南美洲最西北部越冬。
- 屬名 Bombycilla 來自古希臘語 bombux，是“絲綢”和現代拉丁語纖毛 (cilla)“尾巴”的意思。這是德語 Seidenschwanz“絲尾”的直接翻譯，指的是這些鳥類如絲般柔軟的羽毛。 特定的 cedrorum 在拉丁語中是“雪松”的意思。
- 雪松太平鳥是中型鳥。它們比它的近親波希米亞 (Bohemian) 太平鳥（在更遠的北部和西部繁殖）更小、更多些褐色。它們最顯著的特徵是翅膀上次級飛羽尖端的這一小簇像紅色蠟狀液滴。
- 首選棲息地包括林區或森林邊緣的樹木，尤其是那些提供漿果來源和水源的樹木。它們經常出現在果樹中。太平鳥被流水聲所吸引，喜歡在淺溪中沐浴和飲水。
- 在繁殖季節之外，雪松太平鳥經常成群結隊地覓食，數量達數百隻。這個物種是游牧的，冬季不規則的移動會使數量急劇增加，不過大多數群體向南遷移到美國及更遠的地方，有時甚至到達南美洲北部。
- 雪松太平鳥善於交際，常年成群結隊。它們是非領地鳥類。它們會從一個地方搬到另一個地方，這取決於它們在哪裡可以找到好的漿果來源。
- 雪松太平鳥的交配季節從春末開始一直到夏末。雄性會為雌性“跳跳舞”，如果她有興趣，她會跟著跳。在求愛期間，雄性和雌性會坐在一起，來回傳遞小物件例如花瓣或昆蟲。交配對有時會摩擦它們的喙。
- 雪松太平鳥全年吃漿果和有糖份的水果。繁殖季節主要吃昆蟲。它們喜愛東部雪松的小球果，這也是它俗名的由來。它們吃整個漿果。因為它們吃太多水果，所以當它們吃過度成熟、已經開始發酵產生酒精的漿果時，雪松太平鳥偶爾會醉，甚至死亡。它們有時也會造成商業水果農場的重大受損，因為它們有一大群會來吃水果，因而被視為害蟲。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Cedar waxwing
- All about birds: Cedar Waxwing
- 百度百科: 雪松太平鸟
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