Cedar Waxwing – Privet Berries

Q: Cedar waxwings and other berry-loving birds love these plants I saw in an area near Kennesaw Mtn. I’d like to know the name of this berry-bearing plant.

A: Great photo of a cedar waxwing! It is feasting on Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense, berries.

Although this is the shrub that surrounds the football playing field at UGA, Chinese privet is regarded as a weedy, invasive plant. Birds eat the seed and distribute them far and wide, resulting in impenetrable thickets of privet.

If you find privet on your property, you should destroy it. I’m sure the birds will find something to eat that doesn’t lead to a nuisance.

cedar waxwing

cedar waxwing

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