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Might Waxwings breed? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Andy1979
- Start date
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
pretty sure they do Andy. All other birds do.
Welsh Peregrine
Well-known member
But more helpfully - not here! In other years there have been late flocks, but never, as far as I know, even the faintest suggestion of anything more. Would love to be proved wrong, of course!
I think it's very unlikely that Waxwings would breed in Britain. In good years it's quite common to have birds around into May, but that doesn't mean they're going to breed. In their breeding areas in Scandinavia and Russia it will still be 'winter' at the moment, hence them still being present here.
Richard Klim
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Parkin & Knox 2010 (The Status of Birds in Britain & Ireland): "Birds may remain well into May, but there are no breeding records in GB&I".
Richard Klim
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25% probability that they're male and female... :t:
...or maybe slightly higher if males aren't usually best pals at this time of year.
Last edited:
dantheman
Bah humbug
Probably got this wrong, but wouldn't that be 50%??? (If you start with one Waxwing its 50% chance the others a different sex - so for any two Waxwings etc)
And if it wasn't one of each (ie not a pair), but they were politely taking it in turn to feed on any berries present, at least you could say it was a civil partnership?
Richard Klim
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Indeed, Dan! Sorry, too much red wine today...
And to think my daughter got a maths PhD. It's definitely not in the genes... :C
Phil Carter
Well-known member
Indeed, Dan! Sorry, too much red wine today...
And to think my daughter got a maths PhD. It's definitely not in the genes... :C
Been on the wine too but wouldn't it be a 33.3% chance. ie 3 options, 2m, 2f or 1m1f?
Phil
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
I've only been on the beer, so I feel qualified to say no it is a 50% chance
There are four possible combinations:
Bird 1 is male, bird 2 is male
Bird 1 is male, bird 2 is female
Bird 1 is female, bird 2 is male
Bird 1 is female, bird 2 is female
So 2/4 possibilities lead to a male and female = 50%
There are four possible combinations:
Bird 1 is male, bird 2 is male
Bird 1 is male, bird 2 is female
Bird 1 is female, bird 2 is male
Bird 1 is female, bird 2 is female
So 2/4 possibilities lead to a male and female = 50%
Phil Carter
Well-known member
I've only been on the beer, so I feel qualified to say no it is a 50% chance
There are four possible combinations:
Bird 1 is male, bird 2 is male
Bird 1 is male, bird 2 is female
Bird 1 is female, bird 2 is male
Bird 1 is female, bird 2 is female
So 2/4 possibilities lead to a male and female = 50%
But Richard's assertion was that there was a 25% chance of them being male and female with no distinction between which one was which, therefore.........more wine.
Phil
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
This assertion was wrong (because there are 2/4 ways the birds could be male and female), which Richard acknowledged in post #12.
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
One (or both) of them might be gay.
Phil Carter
Well-known member
But if bird 1 is male and bird 2 is female or vice versa it still amounts to the same thing ie. one of each.
Maybe time for coffee.
Phil
Maybe time for coffee.
Phil
James Emerson
Norwich Birder
So you agree that statistically there is a 50% chance of there being a male and a female?
Phil Carter
Well-known member
I can't get past the fact that there can either be 2 males, 2 females or one of each.
But then, I did pass on the coffe.
Phil
But then, I did pass on the coffe.
Phil
