waxwing

American  

[waks-wing] / ˈwæksˌwɪŋ /

noun

1. any of several songbirds of the family Bombycillidae, having a showy crest and certain feathers tipped with a red, waxy material, as Bombycilla garrulus Bohemian waxwing, of the Northern Hemisphere.

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waxwing British  

/ ˈwæksˌwɪŋ /

noun

1. any of several gregarious passerine songbirds of the genus Bombycilla, esp B. garrulus, having red waxy wing tips and crested heads: family Bombycillidae

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Etymology

Origin of waxwing

First recorded in 1810–20; wax ¹ + wing

Example Sentences

The waxwing is described as a "plump bird" which is slightly smaller than a starling.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2023

The other part was Meyer’s description of the cedar waxwing, a bird especially partial to those berries.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2023

A waxwing slain beneath a living-room window, its biannual journey stopped dead by the sky in a pane of glass.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2023

But how does the waxwing, among the most frugivorous of birds, know the crop is ready?

From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2022

The raven frequently remains even in the colder parts throughout the winter; these, with the Canada jay, waxwing, grosbeak and snow bunting, being the principal birds seen in Manitoba and northern districts in that season.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 2 "Camorra" to "Cape Colony" by Various