Cedar Waxwing

(Bombycilla cedrorum)

LISTEN (Recordist: Tayler Brooks, XC34859. Accessible at Xeno Canto.)

General Description: Cinnamon-colored with grayish wings and tail, and yellow terminal tail-bands. They have distinctive crested heads, black throats, and black masks lined with white. Their bellies have a yellowish tinge.

Habitat: Common in forest clearings, wetlands, edges, residential areas, orchards, and stands of Russian olive.

Behavior: Often perch atop dead trees to catch aerial insects. Flocking is common in all seasons.

Diet: Primarily fruit-eaters, relying on berries of mountain ash, juniper, dogwood, and cherries. They eat some insects.

Range in North America: Common year ’round across the northern United States; in summer across southern Canada; and in winter across the southern United States.

When to See in Washington:  Year round in Puget Sound Basin and Spokane area.

For detailed information about Cedar Waxwing, visit Seattle Audubon’s BirdWeb.