Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Tom Crann

'Tis the season for drunken waxwings

Cedar waxwing
Cedar waxwings eat berries and other fruit, which can sometimes get them in trouble.
Courtesy of birdchick.com

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

If you look out your back window and see a bird that just doesn't look quite right, it may be a cedar waxwing and it may be drunk.

These birds eat a lot of berries, and this time of year — especially with the extended run of warm weather — the berries have begun to ferment. The fermented berries can intoxicate and even kill the birds.

"Birdchick" Sharon Stiteler says she's been a sober ride for more than one drunk waxwing in her life. She says usually you just let the birds sleep it off and they're fine.

Drunk waxwings, which you usually see in spring and fall, are in danger of dying from running into windows, or being eaten by predators. And if they eat too many berries too fast, their metabolism doesn't have time to process it and they essentially die from alcohol poisoning.

That's likely what happened to the 10 dead waxwings found near an MPR News listener's crabapple tree this week. While 10 dead birds is on the extreme side, Stiteler says it's not unheard of.

To hear more about waxwings from the Birdchick, which she describes as looking like "female cardinals wearing too much makeup," and snowy owl migration across the state, listen to the audio above.