Waxwing Irruption and the bird paparazzi - what we must do better

Waxwings, known for their sleek appearance and distinctive wax-like wingtips, belong to the family Bombycillidae. These medium-sized birds are often admired for their plumage and sociable behaviour. The species we see in the UK during their winter wanderings, are the Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus). Their sleek pinkish plumage, outrageous punk rock quiffs and their tendency to be very tolerant of humans are just the start of the intrigue. Waxwings appear in large numbers in some winters but only in ones and twos in others, this is due to them experiencing irruption years, a phenomenon that plays a crucial role in their breeding biology.

In Irruption years, Waxwings migrate irregularly and unpredictably beyond their typical range. This phenomenon is primarily driven by variations in the availability of their main food source—berries. Waxwings are frugivorous birds, relying heavily on fruits, especially during the winter months when insects are scarce. The erratic nature of berry production causes waxwings to move extensively in search of suitable food supplies, leading to irruption years.

The winter of 2023 and by extension, probably the early months of 2024 have seen a large number of these Punk Rock berry pilferers, gracing the UK. Hampshire is always one of the last counties to have these birds owing to the extreme southern geography, however, there are a few reliable reports of them now adorning berry trees in the county and hanging around for a few days, enabling people to enjoy them. 

One key factor influencing irruption years is the cyclic nature of fruiting trees and shrubs. Waxwings exhibit a remarkable ability to detect and exploit abundant fruit crops. During years of bumper berry production, waxwings may experience a population surge, triggering widespread movements to capitalize on the food bonanza. These irruptions are not only driven by the quantity of berries but also by the quality, as waxwings have a preference for certain fruits with specific characteristics.

Breeding biology in waxwings is intricately linked to their dietary habits and the availability of resources. Eruption years can have a significant impact on the breeding success of waxwings. Abundant food resources during eruption years provide optimal conditions for breeding. The increased availability of nutritious fruits ensures that breeding pairs are well-fed and have the energy required for successful reproduction.

Waxwings are known for their late breeding season, often coinciding with the peak of summer when insect prey becomes more abundant. The delayed breeding strategy allows them to time their reproductive efforts with the availability of insects for their growing chicks. During eruption years, the surplus energy gained from abundant berries enhances the overall condition of breeding pairs, resulting in healthier offspring with a greater chance of survival.

The waxwing's nomadic lifestyle during irruption years also plays a role in their breeding biology. Movement to new areas can reduce competition for resources, increasing the likelihood of finding suitable nesting sites. This adaptability contributes to the waxwing's ability to exploit varying environmental conditions for successful reproduction.

Waxwings are by nature, very confiding birds, however, on the couple of occasions I have personally been to see them, they have been hounded by birders and by photographers in particular trying to get that 'perfect shot'. People within a couple of meters of their preferred berry tree and on one occasion literally leaning against the trunk of a small rowan the birds were frequenting. Although the birds are fairly tolerant of human disturbance, I think we, as a community of birders and wildlife enthusiasts, need to do better in this respect. The birds or animals should always come first and their wellbeing is paramount in our enjoyment of them. Give them space, give them peace and enjoy the spectacle! These, like many other migrant birds, have flown great distances in order to survive the winter and any disturbance is a waste of essential energy and could affect their ability to survive the harsh winter. 

Waxwings and by no means the only birding spectacle that suffers from this over-zealous behaviour from watchers, like so many other winters, I have seen countless posts on the behaviour of people around Short-Eared Owl roosts across the UK, but being a Hampshire birder, I have heard a great deal about 2 particular roosts in the South. People entering areas off limits, ignoring pleas for them to stop, all in search of a photograph, put like that, the behaviour seems perverse. With modern equipment the need to be that close is minimised, but fieldcraft seems to be something that is a dying art in modern times, maybe due to the abundance of information and the ability of modern photographic equipment meaning that crafting a photograph is not so important anymore when you have the fire and forget of modern digital tech. Post production has also made it easier to 'save' even the grainiest and blurry of shots. 

This is not a tirade against the majority of the birding/photographic community, who on the whole are considerate and mindful of the birds and other people. I personally enjoy taking photographs and understand the thrill of a great shot when you get it right, however, it should NEVER! Be at the detriment of the subject and poor behaviour absolutely needs calling out when its seen. Something I am glad to say, I am seeing more and more of in birding circles. 2023 saw a number of high profile reports of bird disturbance and poor behaviour at twitches and by photographers, one particular incident even making it on to the Jeremy Vine show for discussion, when twitchers displayed particularly nasty and aggressive behaviour at a Night Heron twitch in Norfolk (the story was very true as I was there and witnessed it) and this does our community no favours at all. We all need to be part of the solution and maintaining silence in the face of this behaviour is no longer an option. We as wildlife enthusiasts are the first to blast the shooting and hunting fraternity for maintaining silence or covering for poor behaviour, so we absolutely need to take the lead and set an example to others, that this behaviour is not ok, it will not be tolerated and those who perpetrate it, will be dismissed from our ranks. 

Pictures of Waxwings © James Cutting: 

Taken in Suffolk on iPhone 13 pro with Phonoskope adapter and Vortex Razor HD 85mm 27-60x @x50 zoom