Bombycilla cedrorum

Description

The Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is a medium-sized, elegantly plumaged songbird, 15-18 cm long with a wingspan of 22-30 cm and weighing approximately 30 g. Its plumage is a silky blend of brown, grey, and lemon yellow, accented by a prominent crest, a rakish black mask bordered in white, and a pale yellow belly. The species' most distinctive feature is the small cluster of brilliant red, wax-like droplets on the tips of the secondary wing feathers — the origin of the name "waxwing." The tail is square-tipped and typically yellow, though birds that have fed on introduced honeysuckle berries may develop orange-tipped tails. The bill is short and wide, adapted for consuming berries whole.

Named for its fondness for eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) cones, the Cedar Waxwing is the more common and southerly of North America's two waxwing species. It is globally Secure, with populations increasing due to the regrowth of forests and shrublands and the widespread planting of ornamental fruiting trees.

Lifecycle

Breeding extends from late spring through late summer. Courtship is charming and distinctive: the male performs a hopping dance for the female; if receptive, she hops back. Courting pairs pass small objects — flower petals, insects, berries — back and forth between them, sometimes rubbing their beaks together.

The female builds the nest over 5-6 days, making up to 2,500 trips to gather materials. The nest is a loose, open cup of grass and twigs, lined with softer fibres, placed 2-6 m above ground on a horizontal tree branch. Clutches contain 5-6 pale bluish-grey eggs with dark brown spotting. The female incubates for 11-13 days. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge at 14-18 days. One or two broods are raised per season.

Outside the breeding season, Cedar Waxwings are highly gregarious and nomadic, forming large flocks that move in response to berry crop availability. Their movements are irruptive — huge numbers may appear in an area one winter and be absent the next.

Ecology

Cedar Waxwings are among the most specialized frugivores in North America, exhibiting near-total reliance on sugary fruits. Stomach content analyses show 84% fruit, 12% invertebrates, and 4% flowers. They consume a wide variety of berries including serviceberry (Amelanchier), dogwood (Cornus), redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), hawthorn (Crataegus), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), and mountain ash (Sorbus).

This frugivorous specialization makes them important seed dispersers. Seeds pass through their digestive tract rapidly and are defecated intact, often far from the parent plant. During the breeding season, insects become an important protein source for growing nestlings. Waxwings sometimes eat fermented, overripe fruit and can become intoxicated — a well-documented phenomenon.

Flocks are highly social and non-territorial. A notable behaviour is "berry passing": when only one bird can reach a berry cluster, flock members line up along the branch and pass berries beak-to-beak down the line. The species has benefited from human landscape changes, including the planting of fruiting ornamentals and the regrowth of shrublands.

Habitat

Cedar Waxwings favour open wooded areas, forest edges, and riparian zones with access to fruiting trees and shrubs and a nearby water source. They are commonly seen in parks, golf courses, cemeteries, orchards, gardens, and suburban landscapes where ornamental fruit trees are planted. In Ontario, they breed throughout the Carolinian Forest zone and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region, with winter flocks moving south irregularly.