Bohemian Waxwings are distinct birds with a sleek appearance, sporting red waxy deposits at the tips of their secondary feathers. Their coloration is grayish-brown with unique white and yellow wing-patches and yellow tail-bands. These birds have crested heads, black throats, and black masks that are lightly lined with white, which gives them their distinct appearance. Additionally, their heads have a rufous hue, and their undertail coverts are also rufous. Juvenile Bohemian Waxwings have most of these features but lack the feather-tips and are instead mottled gray-brown. As the birds mature, the feather-tips increase in size and number. The only bird commonly found in Washington that could be mistaken for a Bohemian Waxwing is the smaller and browner Cedar Waxwing, which has a yellow tinge underneath. Unlike Bohemian Waxwings, Cedar Waxwings lack the rufous undertail coverts and white and yellow wing markings.

The Bohemian Waxwing is an eye-catching and amiable avian species that inhabits the upper regions of North America and Eurasia. Its unique appearance is characterized by a smooth grey body, a black mask, and brilliant red wingtips.