Cedar waxwing

Sleek, silky, and quietly elegant, the cedar waxwing looks as though it was dressed for a formal occasion. A tall crest, a black mask edged in white, and a soft wash of yellow on the belly set it apart from every other bird in the trees. Sleek and silky, the cedar waxwing wears a neat crest, a black mask, and a lemon-yellow tip on the tail. The red, wax-like tips on the wing feathers give the species its name.

Cedar waxwings are sociable birds that travel in flocks, following ripening fruit from tree to tree. They love berries, and in summer they also snatch insects out of the air. Look for the bright yellow band at the tip of the tail. They gather in tight flocks to feast on berries and sometimes pass fruit to one another along a branch, and they nest later than most songbirds, in mid to late summer.

Here is a favourite frame of a cedar waxwing, perched on a mossy branch and looking away through the summer green.

Cedar waxwing perched on a mossy branch with its back turned, showing the yellow tip of its tail

Photos

  • Cedar waxwing perched on a mossy branch with its back turned, showing the yellow tip of its tail
  • Cedar waxwing photographed in Manitoba, 1
  • Cedar waxwing photographed in Manitoba, 2
  • Cedar waxwing photographed in Manitoba, 3
  • Cedar waxwing photographed in Manitoba, 4
  • Cedar waxwing photographed in Manitoba, 5

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