Residents across Prince Albert may have noticed large flocks of beautiful, sleek, gray-brown birds appearing suddenly in parks and neighbourhoods before vanishing just as quickly during the winter months.
One such sighting took place at Carlton Park Apartments, where Bohemian waxwings were seen gathering in ornamental trees heavy with berries before moving on.
The birds are Bohemian Waxwings, a species well adapted to winter conditions and a regular visitor to Saskatchewan during the colder months.
Dr Hamilton Greenwood, a faculty member at Saskatchewan Polytechnic and a member of the local Nature Saskatchewan group, said the birds are a familiar sight for those who watch winter wildlife closely.
“Yes, they are summer residents in Saskatchewan and across western Canada, and they breed in the northern boreal forest,” Greenwood said. “In the wintertime, they migrate into southern Saskatchewan and further south, and they flock in fairly large numbers.”
Waxwings are known for their social behaviour, often appearing in groups that can range from dozens to hundreds. Greenwood said the reason they gather in such numbers is closely tied to food.
A flock of Bohemian Waxwings cover the branches of a tree in Prince Albert’s Carlton Park area. The fruit eating birds are a regular site in Prince Albert during the coldest months of the year.
“At this time of the year, they are very much a fruit eater, or a frugivore,” he said. “Here in town, one of the ornamental trees that people grow a lot of are mountain ash trees. They have red berries that hang on through winter, and the birds will descend and have a feast.”
Carlton Park and similar urban green spaces provide ideal feeding conditions because ornamental trees hold berries long after wild sources have diminished. Greenwood said the flocks move constantly, depending on where food remains available.
“Where you are finding the waxwings today, they are probably not going to be there tomorrow or the next day,” he said. “They will rotate through the city as long as there is a food source, and then they move on to find another one.”
Despite the temperatures dipping below minus 20, Greenwood said the birds are well equipped to handle Saskatchewan winters.
“It is one of Saskatchewan’s wild animals that is hardy enough to live through the winter,” he said. “They do fairly well on a diet rich in sugar and protein from berries.”
The sudden appearance and disappearance of the flocks can surprise residents, especially those new to the region. Greenwood said the behaviour is normal and has been observed for decades.
“There are times when you will find flocks into the multiple thousands,” he said. “There is nothing uncommon about them in winter. They are present on virtually all of our Christmas bird counts.”
Waxwings typically remain in the province through much of the winter before heading north again as spring approaches.
“We start seeing them around early December, and you may see them all throughout the winter,” Greenwood said. “Later in the winter, they start migrating back north into the far boreal forest for breeding.”
A Bohemian waxwing shows the distinctive wax-like red markings on its wing feathers, a feature that gives the species its name.
While the birds often strip trees of many berries, Greenwood said they rarely remove every last one.
“They do a pretty good job, but there are always residual berries left that may be used by other songbirds,” he said.
Greenwood encouraged residents to enjoy the sightings from a distance.
“Give them some space and sit back and marvel at them,” he said. “They are a little flighty, and you will not be able to get terribly close, but if you leave them alone, they will often return to the same tree.”
He added a lighthearted warning for drivers.
“Do not park your car underneath where they are feeding,” Greenwood said. “You can end up with sticky red spots all over your vehicle.”
For those interested in learning more about local wildlife, Greenwood noted there is an active community group in the city.
“There is a group called Nature Prince Albert,” he said. “They are always looking for new members and hold meetings with guest speakers.”
As winter continues, residents can expect to see waxwings come and go, transforming familiar parks into brief but lively feeding grounds before moving on once again.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
