May 06 2008
Waxwing
WAXWING s. Ornith. Name given to a group of birds of the genus cotinga(1), especially remarkable because the tip of the secondary feathers on its wings widens into smooth oval red discs. The Bohemian Waxwing (Ampelis garrulus, Linn.) is a beautiful bird approximately 18 cm long, with a wingspan of approximately 28 cm; its overall color is reddish-gray, and the lower parts of its body are silver grey. It is found in the extreme northern parts of America, Europe and Asia. Its food consists of berries (hawthorn, ivy, juniper) and sometimes insects.
Extract from the Trousset encyclopedia, 1886 - 1891.
1) Waxwings are now listed under the genus Bombycilla.
Tags: animals, birds, ornithology, Trousset encyclopedia
