It’s time for a party in the pond! At least the Cedar Waxwings, Bombycilla cedrorum, think so.

On a roughly every-other-year cycle, these winter migratory birds swoop into the garden, always as part of a large group. They gab, preen, and fluff in the trees, and splash and sip at the pond.

Cedar Waxwings are beautiful birds and a joy to observe. Their plumage is soft beige with blue-grey shading, complemented by a buttery yellow tummy. Wing tips are dabbed in brilliant red in one spot and sunny yellow in another. A jaunty black mask completes their avian dress, highlighting bright eyes with a dramatic dash of white eye liner. The mask suggests a mischievous, rakish look. Sociable and flighty, it’s rare to see one waxwing on its own, though it does happen. They usually fly and perch in large groups, singing together with high-pitched calls. I usually hear them before I see them and I love that sound.

The tail feathers of Cedar Waxwings are tipped in bright yellow, except on some birds whose tail tips are orange. If a young waxwing eats enough berries from a non-native honeysuckle species, its tail tip will be orange, rather than the typical yellow. Orange-tipped waxwings were first seen in the 1960s and are fairly common. In the photo below, you can see the tail feather of a bird (or more accurately, part-bird…) to the left. Its companion has the “normal” yellow. I think both are fetching.

Cedar Waxwings will pop in for group visits and splashes in the baths for the next month or so. Then, they’ll wing their way northward to their breeding grounds in northern U.S. and southern Canada. I hope to see Cedar Waxwings in their breeding area one day, but until then, they’re most welcome to enjoy their winter vacations at my home.