September + October 2019 ADIRONDACK LIFE 13
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ast October cedar waxwings
went viral—and we’re not talking
avian flu. News stations across
the country were atwitter over the
strange behavior of seemingly inebriat-
ed birds in Minnesota, where they were
swerving into windshields and singing
showtunes at the top of their lungs (OK,
one of those is untrue). Ornithologists
explained that the fruit-loving flyers
had overindulged in berries that had
fermented due to an early frost.
No such bird bacchanalia was report-
ed in the Adirondacks, where cedar
waxwings are year-round inhabitants.
A favorite of birdwatchers for their
handsome plumage, they congregate in
open woodlands looking for insects and
their beloved berries. Their name comes
from the waxy red tips on their wings;
the yellow markings on their tails may
take on an orange tinge, depending on
their diet.
ONE MORE FUN FACT: a group of
waxwings is called an earful.
Flying While
Intoxicated