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Wild Bird Feeders,
Bird Houses,
Bird Baths and more
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Cedar Waxwing
Description: The Cedar Waxwing's name eminates from the waxy, red appendages found in variable numbers on the tail tips of some of these birds. Cedar Waxwings with orange instead of yellow tail tips have appeared mostly in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. The orange color is the result of a red pigment picked up from the berries of exotic honeysuckle fruits which have a different carotene pigment. One of the few temperate-dwelling birds that eat fruit, the Cedar Waxwing can survive on fruit alone for several months. They breed across Canada, southward to northern California, northern Arkansas and northern Georgia and winters from southern Canada southward through the United States and Mexico into Central America.
Other Names: Southern Waxwing, Canada Robin, Cedar Bird, Cherry Bird and Recellet.
Color: Both male and female Cedar Waxwings are brown on the head and back. The brown color shades to pale yellow on the belly and to gray-brown on the back, fading further to slate gray on the rump and upper tail. The tail is tipped with a yellow band resulting from carotene it ingests through the fruit it eats, while the under tail is white, and the legs and feet are black. Cedar Waxwings have a black face mask outlined in white extending over the face and ending in a point behind the eye. They have a black chin and throat and small white and yellow markings in the wings. At the end of the inner wing feathers and each secondary feather a small, red, wax-like tip is extended (most common on older birds).
Sound: The Cedar Waxwing makes a high-pitched, hissy whistle. A high buzzy trill, "bzeeeeee," is the most common call given by perched Cedar Waxwings.
Preferred Environment: Old fields with shrubs and small trees, riparian areas, farms and suburban gardens. It winters in areas with fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. Cedar Waxwings are attracted by the sound of running water, and love to bathe and drink from shallow creeks, fountains and birdbaths.
Nesting Habits: The Cedar Waxwings generally nest later in the summer than other songbirds to synchronize hatching with fruit development. The nest is a bulky open cup of twigs, grasses, moss and other materials usually in the forks of tree branches.
Food Preference: Cedar Waxwings feed on insects, suet, fruit and berries. Fruit makes up roughly 80% of their diet. The Cedar Waxwing is vulnerable to alcohol intoxication and death after eating fermented fruit.
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How to Attract Cedar Waxwings
Cedar Waxwings are gregarious, social birds that normally travel in flocks. You will rarely see a single bird. You can often find them lined up on a branch, the bird nearest the fruit cluster passes fruit to its neighbor, which then, may pass it on down the line.It can be a lot of fun to watch.
They are, however, infrequent visitors to feeders. Use a platform feeder to present chopped fruit, raisins and currants Hang Suet cages. Like all fruit eating birds, they can get very thirsty so be sure to offer them a bird bath with plenty of water. A fountain birdbath is your best bet because they are attracted to the sound of running water.
Suggested Cedar Waxwing Feeders
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