The Cedar Waxwing is a medium-sized songbird known for its smooth, elegant appearance and distinctive feeding habits. These birds have sleek brownish-gray plumage with pale yellow on their belly and a subtle gray gradient on their back and tail. A prominent black eye mask bordered by white and small, red waxy tips on their secondary wing feathers make them easily identifiable.
Their diet is highly specialized, consisting primarily of fruits and berries, which they forage from trees and shrubs, particularly during winter when other food sources are scarce. Cedar Waxwings are named for their preference for cedar berries, and they play an important ecological role by dispersing seeds, aiding in plant reproduction.
They are also known for their gregarious behavior, often traveling in flocks and nesting communally, which enhances their ability to locate abundant food sources. Their distinctive high-pitched “zeee” call helps birders locate flocks in dense vegetation or near water sources, where they frequently gather to drink and bathe.
