Northern Bayberry is a dense, fragrant shrub of coastal plain and sandy upland habitats along the Atlantic coast. Its waxy gray berries are coated with aromatic wax used in the production of bayberry candles. The berries are extremely rich in fat and are a critical stopover food for migrating yellow-rumped warblers, which are uniquely capable of digesting the wax.
Habitat
Coastal sandy soils, dunes, and rocky acidic uplands of the Atlantic coast
Diet
Berries nearly exclusively consumed by yellow-rumped warblers and tree swallows
How common
Common
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