Cedar Waxwing

I was visited yesterday by a flock of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycillia cedrorum) which proceeded to strip my Bradford pear trees of last years fruit. They are a very handsome bird which survives totally upon fruit. This total fruit diet is rather rare for N. American birds. Brown-headed Cowbirds that parasitize their nests usually loose their offspring because their chicks can not survive on an all fruit diet as do Waxwing chicks. Occasionally, these birds become intoxicated and even die from eating fermented (over ripe) fruit.