Bohemian Waxwings have returned to Prince George in full force this winter after their near absence last year, thanks to a bumper crop of berries. Local fruit yields in 2023 were sparse, but this year’s masting phenomenon among fruit-bearing plants, especially Mountain Ash, has provided a feast for the birds.
As the Bohemian Waxwings move across the sky in sun-blotting masses and weigh down berry bearing branches with their numbers, it might look like they’re having more fun than you are. They actually might be.
Shaye Hill, while pursuing a UNBC Masters degree in Ornithology, explained that the fermenting Mountain Ash berries contain ethyl alcohol, and while these birds have a sophisticated metabolism that allows them to break this chemical down, “they still do get a little bit intoxicated.”
Their stay in Prince George will likely last another month, depending on the size of their food supply—or until more flocks arrive to crash the party.
