\u201cUpon examining it, we definitely noticed, because cedar wax wings are so famous for their wax tips on their wings, it just didn\u2019t look right,\u201d Smith told CHEK News Tuesday. \u201cAnd you can clearly see that it wasn\u2019t a break or an injury that caused this, it was clearly cut by someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The precision of the cuts, she explained, is a telltale sign. <\/p>\n
\u201cNormally, if a feather has broken, you\u2019ll kind of see that forked from the feather. But if it\u2019s cut like that, like it\u2019s so straight and so blunt, that\u2019s not a natural form for a feather.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wing clipping can cause pain to birds, especially if \u201cblood feathers\u201d are severed as they have nerve endings and a blood supply associated with feather growth.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/532235312_1172444271595813_9079483763545055485_n.jpg\")
A cedar waxwing that had its wings clipped is shown in the care of North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. Aug 9, 2025. (NIWRA)<\/p>\n
The physical damage is only part of the harm, as Smith says the social and survival impacts to birds with their wings clipped are severe.<\/p>\n
\u201cCedar wax wings in general are such a social bird, like they are found in huge flocks. So not being able to fly, they can\u2019t migrate with their flock, they can\u2019t be with their flock, so that\u2019s a huge isolation to them, and that creates a huge sense of vulnerability,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey can\u2019t fly away from predators. They can\u2019t fly to collect the berries and the insects that they need to survive that are high up in bushes and trees. It\u2019s just a huge stress.\u201d<\/p>\n