Contour (body feather), potentially a lower flank or vent feather

Cedar Waxwing

Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Passeriformes, Family: Bombycillidae, Genus: Bombycilla, Species: Bombycilla cedrorum

Family: Bombycillidae (Waxwings)

Shape: Symmetrical to semi-symmetrical with a rounded, blunt tip and a broad, soft base
Size: Estimated 2.0–3.5 cm in length; consistent with body contour feathers of a medium-sized passerine
Rarity: Common; widespread and often found in large, nomadic flocks especially near food sources

Identify any feather from a photo, free.

Description

A small, soft-textured feather from a sleek, crested bird known for its masked face and silky brown plumage with characteristic yellow tail tips

Pale lemon-yellow distal tip fading into a creamy white and then a smoky grey/white downy base; no banding present

Plumulaceous (downy) at the base for insulation, transitioning to a pennaceous (structured) distal tip

Silky and soft; the pennaceous tip has a smooth, matte finish characteristic of waxwings

Soft lemon-yellow wash on the tip, highly downy base, and overall 'silky' appearance typical of the Bombycillidae family

Open woodlands, orchards, suburban gardens, and riparian areas rich in berry-producing shrubs

Breeds across southern Canada and northern US; winters throughout the US, Mexico, and Central America

Specialized frugivore (fruit-eater) serving as a primary seed disperser for many berry-bearing plant species

Bohemian Waxwing (larger, deeper yellow), Evening Grosbeak (brighter yellow, thicker barbs), or Yellow Warbler (entirely yellow)

Cedar Waxwings can become 'intoxicated' if they eat overripe, fermented berries in the late winter or spring

Fair to Good; shows some matting of the downy barbs and slight separation at the tip, likely a naturally molted feather