Cedar Waxwing

The Cedar Waxwing is a medium-sized, sleek bird with a large head, short neck, and short, wide bill. Waxwings have a crest that often lies flat and droops over the back of the head. The wings are broad and pointed, like a starling's. The tail is fairly short and square-tipped. Cedar Waxwings love to eat fruit. In fact, they can subsist on fruit alone more so than other birds. If you want to attract them to your yard, it's a good idea to have lots of berries around. In summer, the best plants to attract them are serviceberries, strawberries, mulberries, dogwood, and raspberries. Cedar Waxwing pairs look for nest sites together, but the female makes the decision. She typically chooses the fork of a horizontal branch, anywhere from 3 to 50 feet high. Many tree species are used, including maples, pines, red cedar, white cedar, apple, pear, hawthorn, and bur oak.

Diet: berries and small fruits

Lifespan: eight years

Habitat: mostly in the northern half of the United States

Like Birds: European Starlings

Type Of Bird: passerine birds

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Mass: 1.1 oz

Scientific Name: Bombycilla cedrorum