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Gail Miller | all galleries >> Galleries >> CEDAR WAXWING WITH ORANGE TAIL TIPS INSTEAD OF YELLOW TAIL TIPS > IMG_9161.jpg
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12-NOV-2016

IMG_9161.jpg

Cedar Waxwings
Note: The 'yellow' and 'orange' tail.
I knew the orange tail was 'diet related' and at least two sources suggest honeysuckle as being the cause: "Some cedar waxwings have orange tail tips instead of yellow. This is not a normal color variation. Rather, the fruit of an introduced species of honeysuckle is known to cause cedar waxwings to grow orange-tipped tail feathers". And this comment: "In the 1960's, people started to cultivate a certain honeysuckle bush for their yards. This bush has reddish berries that young Cedar Waxwings feed on during their development. The pigment causes their tail tips to turn orange".

Canon EOS 5DS R
1/200s f/14.0 at 300.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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