New Illustrations

(Above) Illustration of courting Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedorum). 

Cedar Waxwings, like many birds, mate for life. When juveniles become mature, they begin to "court" while looking for a potential mate. When courting, you may observe a male and female hoping back and forth, appearing to be dancing. They will also touch beaks as in a kiss. Males will try to win a desired female's heart by bringing her presents. Berries, fruits, and flower petals are popular trends within the bird world too!

A female will accept the gift and gush over it while hopping back and forth with the prize held in her beak. If she likes her suitor, she will often pass it back too him. In return the male will gush and hop back in forth, excited by her affection and soon re-give the gift to her. Often, the couple will pass the present back and forth between each other more then several times. A female accepting the gift, by eating it, symbolizes her bond with the male and she will mate for life with him. 

Cedar Waxwings are by far, one of my favorite birds! It's not only their beautiful coloration, or mohawk hair styles that intrigue me. They form tight bonds with their mates, young, and family. You can also see a flock of Waxwings sitting in a row, passing a berry, beak to beak to each other, like playing a game. Also, being that these birds love berries, they too get drunk from time to time when eating fermented berries.