Waxwing Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)

Waxwings are winter visitors to the UK shores and are typically found along the eastern side of Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. They are quite plump birds, slightly smaller than a Starling.

Waxwings can be recognised by their prominent crest, their reddish-brown upperparts, black throat with a small black mask around their eyes. They have yellow and white wings and their tails have a yellow tip. They get their name from the markings on their wings that resemble sealing wax.

Waxwings are not residents in the UK and only visit our shores when their population grows too large to support local food sources in their Northern European habitats. To find out more about these colourful and exotic looking winter visitors, keep reading.

How Long Does A Waxwing Live?

Waxwings breed in Northern Europe and only venture to the UK when they exhaust their food supply of berries in their native lands. These small passerine birds can live for as long as 13 years or more.

However, the average life expectancy of the waxwing is around 3 to 5 years. The main cause of death in younger waxwings is due to predation, competition for food from similar species and the inability to metabolise ethanol produced by the consumption of fruit (intoxication).

When they do come to the UK in search of food, it’s always in large numbers and suddenly there are huge numbers appearing on rowan, hawthorn and other shrubs and bushes that produce berries. In ornithological terms, this is known as an “irruption”.

How Fast Can A Waxwing Fly?

Waxwings are similar in size and weight to Starlings and have a similar strong and direct flight and when in flight a flock of waxwings resembles the flight of a flock of Starlings. Waxwings can reach speeds of up to 25 to 37 mph (40 to 60 km/h) during long flights.

These speeds are essential for allowing the waxwing to cover large distances especially during their migratory journeys.

Are Waxwings Aggressive?

Waxwings are not considered to be aggressive birds and are known for their social behaviour. They are often spotted in flocks particularly during winter months when they are seen foraging for berries and fruit. They appear peaceful in their interaction within these flocks.

Having said that, like many other birds, they can display aggressive behaviour when competing for food or during the breeding season to protect their nests, eggs and chicks. Their level of aggression is generally limited to displays or short confrontations but is not typical of their overall behaviour.

What Is A Waxwing’s Habitat?

Waxwings preferred breeding grounds are Northern European forests in areas that are rich in berries and fruit. They are partial to bright coloured berries particularly red and orange berries.

In winter, when they often migrate away from their breeding grounds in search of food supplies, the waxwing can often be spotted in many areas of the UK. They can regularly be seen in gardens, parks and even supermarket car parks and out of town shopping centres.

In fact, any area where rowan trees are found or other red berried bushes and shrubs. However, they are also likely to eat fruit if other food sources are unavailable.

How Long Does It Take For A Waxwing To Build A Nest?

It generally takes around 5 to 7 days for a pair of waxwings to make a nest. Both birds are involved in the nest building process. The nests are constructed using twigs, moss, grass and feathers. They build their nests typically in coniferous or mixed forests.

They place the nesting materials on horizontal branches of trees usually high up above the ground. Nests are cup shaped and generally well built to provide a secure and comfortable place to rear their young.

Eggs

Once they are satisfied with the construction and siting of the nest, the female will lay her eggs. Let’s look into the eggs of the waxwing and find out when they are laid, the size of the clutch, what the eggs look like and how long they’re incubated.

When Do Waxwings Lay Eggs?

Waxwings don’t breed in the UK and return to their Northern European habitats to breed. They typically breed late in the season, often around mid June to July. This is deliberate to coincide with the abundance of food supplies available at that time.

How Many Eggs Does A Waxwing Lay?

Waxwings usually lay a clutch of between 3 to 7 eggs and typically only lay one brood per season. This is mainly due to climatic restrictions as the weather is often turning by the time the chicks are fledged. 

What Do Waxwing Eggs Look Like?

The female will lay her clutch of 3 to 7 eggs which are smooth, glossy and pale blue in colour covered in black and grey speckles or spots. This colouring helps the eggs to blend into the nest making them difficult to spot by predators.

Each egg is around 24 x 18 mm in size and weighs around 3.5 to 4 grams of which 5% is made up by the shell.

How Long Do Waxwing Eggs Take To Hatch?

The eggs are incubated solely by the female for a period of around 14 days. She never leaves the nest during this 2 week incubation period and is fed by her partner.

The male spends his time split between hunting for berries, fruit and insects, and keeping watch for predators.

Chicks

After the eggs hatch the life cycle of the waxwing moves into the next stage, the rearing of the chicks. Let’s take a look at how many chicks they produce, when the chicks open their eyes and when the chicks leave the nest.

How Many Chicks Does A Waxwing Have?

Generally the number of chicks is congruent with the number of eggs laid. However, in some cases there are a few unfertilised eggs or a few that fail to develop. These are typically pushed out of the nest. 

On average, out of 7 eggs laid 4 to 5 develop to the hatching stage.

When Do Waxwing Chicks Open Their Eyes?

The chicks are altricial which means they are naked and blind when they first hatch. They rely on their parents for food, temperature regulation and protection.

Both parents feed the young chicks although the majority of food is brought to the nest by the male. The chicks are fed on a diet which consists mainly of insects for the first few days which are regurgitated by both parents.

These protein rich insects are essential for the development and growth of the young chicks. The chicks typically open their eyes at around day 4 to 5. They then continue to grow and develop and are subsequently fed a diet rich in fruit and berries.

When Do Waxwing Chicks Fledge?

The waxwing chicks generally fledge the nest around 14 to 16 days after hatching. Although they continue to be fed by their parents for around another fortnight after fledging.

During this time their parents will teach them what to eat and where to find their food. 

SEE ALSO: Willow Tit Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)

Frequently Asked Questions