Birds Of Japan 43:The Japanese Waxwing (Bombycilla japonica) ヒレンジャク

apanese Waxwing ヒレンジャク Scientific name: Bombycilla japonica The Japanese Waxwing is a beautiful winter visitor to Japan. In Japanese it is called ヒレンジ

Japanese Waxwing ヒレンジャク Scientific name: Bombycilla japonica The Japanese Waxwing is a beautiful winter visitor to Japan. In Japanese it is called ヒレンジャク / Hirenjaku. It has a silky brownish body, pointed crest, black mask, reddish-brown face, yellow-tipped tail, and bright red wax-like markings on the wings. Its elegant crest and smooth plumage make it one of Japan’s most stylish winter birds. In Japan, the Japanese Waxwing appears mainly in winter, often in flocks. It is famous for feeding on berries, especially mistletoe berries, and may gather in parks, gardens, roadside trees, forest edges, orchards, and wooded areas where fruit is available. Some years many birds appear, while in other years they can be scarce. This kind of irregular winter movement is common for waxwings. It is often confused with the Bohemian Waxwing / キレンジャク. The easiest field clue is the tail tip: ヒレンジャク has a red tail tip, while キレンジャク has a yellow tail tip. Habitat: Forest edges, parks, gardens, orchards, roadside trees, berry-rich woodland Range in Japan: Winter visitor; irregularly seen across much of Japan depending on year Diet: Berries, fruits, especially mistletoe berries; sometimes small insects Season: Mainly winter to early spring Size: About 18 cm Behavior: Often moves in flocks; perches in trees and feeds on berries; may appear suddenly in large numbers Conservation: Winter visitor in Japan; berry-bearing trees and healthy woodland edges are important The Japanese Waxwing is an elegant winter bird that visits Japan in search of berries. With its pointed crest, black mask, silky brown body, and red-tipped tail, the ヒレンジャク is one of the most attractive birds of the cold season. It often appears in flocks around mistletoe, fruiting trees, parks, gardens, and forest edges. Its numbers change greatly from year to year, making every winter encounter with this beautiful waxwing feel special.

Japanese Waxwing ヒレンジャク

The Japanese Waxwing is an elegant winter visitor to Japan, often seen in parks, gardens, orchards, forest edges, roadside trees, and areas with berry-bearing shrubs. It has soft brownish plumage, a silky crest, a black mask, and a distinctive red-tipped tail that gives the bird a refined and beautiful appearance.

These waxwings often move in flocks, feeding mainly on berries and small fruits during the colder months. They may gather suddenly in fruiting trees, calling softly as they move from branch to branch. Their graceful shape, crested head, and red tail tips make them one of Japan’s most attractive winter birds.