Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016
Waxwing: Bohemian Waxwing, Cedar Waxwing
The Profiles
Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Sleek and silky, waxwings look like they just fluttered out of a painting. These birds are well known for traveling in large flocks that swoop into fruit trees. Sitting in a row, small groups share food by passing fruit down the line until one eats it. Because of their sudden erratic appearance in the autumn, these birds gained a reputation for being harbingers of war, pestilence, and other disasters.
During the Middle Ages, their appearance was an omen of the plague. To German speakers, they were known as sterbe-vogel, “death birds,” because huge flocks would swoop in and devour vast amounts of fruit before it could be harvested.165 In Irish folklore, the waxwing was regarded as a harbinger of the banshee who would wail when death was nigh. In addition, the red spots of color on some of the wing feathers were called “drops of hellfire.” 166 To others, the red drops looked more like sealing wax, which is the source of the bird’s common name, waxwing.
The perception of waxwings changed by the fifteenth century thanks in large part to artists who appreciated their beauty. Despite the fact that cedar waxwings trill and whistle more than produce a song, they became associated with angelic music. As far as prophecy was concerned, a large flock of waxwings in the autumn simply came to mean that the approaching winter would bring very cold weather. The waxwing also became a sign of good luck if it visited your property.
The genus name, Bombycilla, is Latin for “silk tail,” in reference to the silklike ribbon of color on their tails.167 Because it seemed to travel in nomadic winter flocks, the Bohemian waxwing was so named in reference to an unconventional or gypsy-like lifestyle.
Magical Workings
The eye mask on the face of waxwing has linked it with shamanism and the ability to transverse the realms. Call on this bird for support in journeying, astral travel, or any practice that involves a shift in consciousness. Also ask for its help in contacting the angelic or fairy realms. Keep an image of waxwing nearby when engaging in divination or any form of prophecy to foster clarity. It can also give your good luck spells a boost.
Although this bird was linked with death and negativity in the past, its nature is anything but destructive. Waxwing can bring a gentleness to Samhain rituals or anytime you bid a loved one farewell. It can also help you through the changes that follow a death. A bird of community, waxwing fosters harmony through group effort and sharing.
Make Connection
To connect with waxwing energy, gather a red candle, yellow ribbon, a heat-resistant plate, and a cup of berries or small pieces of fruit. As you sit in front of your altar, cut several short lengths of the yellow ribbon and place them on the plate. Light the candle and gaze at it as you visualize a crab apple or other tree ladened with fruit. Carefully tip the candle, allowing several drops of wax to fall on the ribbon. Set the candle down and gaze at the flame as you say: “Waxwing, waxwing, silky and sleek; Blessed be and merry meet.”
Continue with your visualization and see the tree with a flock of waxwings passing fruit to each other. Slowly and one by one eat the fruit you have placed on your altar. When you are finished, blow out the candle, close your eyes, and hold the image of waxwing in your mind. Let the image fade, but if it remains longer than expected, waxwing may be present.
Associations
Element(s): Air, fire
Sabbat(s): Samhain
Trees: Cherry, crab apple, hackberry
Magical beings: Fairies
Bird Identification
Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
Also known as: Black-throated waxwing, silktail
Size: 7 to 8 inches
Wingspan: 12 to 13 inches
Comparative size: Sparrow to robin
Description: Sleek body; mostly light brownish gray; darker wings; head crest often lies flat; black eye mask and throat; white wing patches; white and yellow edging on wings; yellow, square-tipped tail; yellow to rusty color under tail
Range: From Alaska east through Canada to Newfoundland and northern New England, around the Great Lakes; and from Wisconsin south to Colorado to the West Coast
Habitat: Open forests, parks, and suburban and urban areas wherever fruit is found
Eggs: Pale blue-gray with black spots
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Also known as: Cedar bird, cherry bird
Size: 6 to 8 inches
Wingspan: 9 to 12 inches
Comparative size: Sparrow to robin
Description: Sleek, brownish-gray body; rusty-orange breast fades into yellow belly; head crest often lies flat; black eye mask bordered by white stripe; broad, pointed wings; red tips on inner wing feathers; short, yellow or reddish, square-tipped tail
Range: From Pacific coast in Canada east to Newfoundland and south throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and a small part of South America
Habitat: Open woodlands, orchards, and residential areas
Eggs: Pale blue or blue-gray eggs, often with black or gray spots
Collective noun(s): A museum of waxwings
165. Armstrong, The Life and Lore of the Bird in Nature, Art, Myth and Literature, 61.
166. Murphy-Hiscock, Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide, 203.
167. Sandrock and Prior, The Scientific Nomenclature of Birds in the Upper Midwest, 24.