Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Gail McPeek
Kensington Metro Park, Livingston Co., MI 7/10/2009 © Jim Ridley This species sponsored by Deborah Remer
(Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II)
Even the most novice bird watcher will breeding when adults leave their nests to feed with the flock. recognize that the Cedar Waxwing has a unique look. Its sleek feathers blend as one, a look that Barrows (1912) described the Cedar-bird as an naturalist Donald Stokes describes as “the abundant summer bird, but also noted it was appearance of a skillfully painted carving” “erratic in its nesting.” He indicated it to be one (Stokes and Stokes 1983). During banding of the most abundant and characteristic late studies at Kalamazoo Nature Center, I had the summer birds about the cedar and tamarack good fortune to view, in hand, this songbird’s swamps in the northern part of the state. A silky earth-tone plumage, velvety black mask, century later, the Cedar Waxwing remains one yellow-tipped tail, and trademark waxy red of Michigan’s most common summer birds. It drops decorating the wings. ranked 10th on the list of most recorded species
for MBBA II. The map shows a widespread You can find the Cedar Waxwing throughout distribution in all counties, with no noticeable most of North America. Its breeding range change since MBBA I. Data comparisons for includes southern Alaska, the southern half of the SLP, NLP, and UP also show essentially the Canada, and the northern half of the Lower 48 same distribution. The Cedar Waxwing is easily states. Its winter range is similar but does not detected by its frequent, high-pitched Seee calls extend as far north, and stretches south to and conspicuous foraging activity. Nests, on the northern South America and the West Indies. other hand, are not so easy to find, and the
majority of atlas records were of Probable Distribution breeding evidence. The Cedar Waxwing is a common breeding bird throughout the state, but its occurrence from This species nests in a variety of open forest and year to year and place to place can be quite forest edge habitats, particularly those near variable. This species is highly social and its water, orchards, gardens, and grasslands which flocking tendencies, together with the patchiness provide an abundance of food. Wet mesic of its food supply, play a major role in forest, mixed mesic forest, and shrub upland determining distribution. Cedar Waxwings were among the more preferred habitats travel in flocks year-round, even during
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Gail McPeek reported during MBBA I (Eastman 1991). (Witmer et al. 1997). Juveniles can be Knowledge of the waxwing’s diet is key to recognized in their family flocks by their understanding its distribution. Fruit makes up streaked breast plumage. 84% of its diet, followed by 12% insects, and 4% flower parts (Witmer 1996a). From October Waxwings are more social than territorial, even to April, they feast almost exclusively on fruits, in the breeding season. Nests can be in close particularly cedar berries. Flowers are added in proximity, a kind of loose colony. It is not spring and from May to September insects are uncommon for individuals to pinch nesting consumed, but fruit remains the main fare. material from nearby waxwing nests. Rothstein (1971) offers a good description of a colony in Various studies have documented the Cedar Cheboygan County, Michigan. In July 1969, he Waxwing’s preference for high-energy, sugary discovered 20 nests in a 2.3-acre (0.9 ha) white fruits (Witmer et al. 1997). Serviceberry, pine plantation, but rather than being spaced mulberry, strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and throughout the woodlot, nests were clustered at red-osier dogwood are among those fruits eaten the two edges, close to neighboring fields with during the breeding season. Come winter, its rich food supplies. fondness for sugary fruits can sometimes lead to alcohol intoxication. Consumption of fermented Abundance and Population Trends fruits can cause birds to fly erratically and fall (Click to view trends from the BBS) out of trees. Diet has also been linked to the Although Atlas data show the Cedar Waxwing occasional Cedar Waxwing with orange-tipped to be common and widespread in the state, rectrices instead of yellow. Research has found patterns of abundance are not so clear cut. that ingestion of exotic honeysuckle fruits Block counts with 18 or more waxwings during molt can cause this color change (Brush compared to those with 10 or fewer do pinpoint 1990, Witmer 1996b). some areas with greater abundance. In the SLP, these higher totals (18 or more) were more Breeding Biology prevalent in the southwestern counties and a The Cedar Waxwing is one of our latest spring small number of southeast counties. Blocks migrants, typically arriving in the later part of with 10 or fewer recorded were more the norm May in southern Michigan, to mid-June in the in the central and thumb counties. BBS route UP. Pairs have already formed by the time they averages support these observations. In the reach the breeding grounds. Pay close attention NLP, the central and western counties tended to to late winter, nomadic flocks and you may have higher counts; and in the UP, higher block witness the side-hopping, berry-passing ritual totals were recorded more consistently near the between male and female. Great Lakes or inland lakes. Lower counts were in more interior blocks, including those counties Witmer et al. (1997) label the Cedar Waxwing bordering Wisconsin. Again, BBS route as one of North America’s latest nesting birds. averages support these general patterns. In Michigan, most nesting occurs from mid- June through August. Second broods are Cedar Waxwing populations have increased common and can extend the nesting season into throughout North America from 1966-1989 September. A late egg date for Michigan is 23 (Robbins et al. 1986, Droege and Sauer 1990). September (KNC 2004). The female incubates In Michigan, there was a significant increase of the 4-5 eggs for 14 days, during which time the 6.35 birds per route (1966-70) to 12.83 per route male brings her food. The young waxwings (1981-85). Adams et al. (1988) attributed this to fledge the nest 15-16 days after hatching
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Gail McPeek the bird’s liking for secondary growth habitats which were increasing at that time.
Examination of BBS data since 1985, show that annual state averages have varied from a high of nearly 18 waxwings/route to a low of 10 waxwings/route, but the overall trend has been one of slight decline (Sauer et al. 2008). Perhaps this reflects the maturation of many secondary growth habitats. Similar recent declines were detected in Ontario (Kits 2007). New York experienced a slight decline in the 1980s, with numbers stabilizing in the last 15 years (Witmer 2008).
Conservation Needs The Cedar Waxwing is among those birds which have benefited from human land-use changes, resulting in an abundance of second- growth habitats and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. Consequently, it is not a species of conservation concern. Continued long-term monitoring is helpful since this fruit eater is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning. In the waxwing’s favor, is the low rate of cowbird parasitism. Even though forest edge habitat is prime for cowbirds, the later timing of nesting is less conducive to cowbird parasitism. Rothstein (1976) showed via experimentation that waxwings reject cowbird eggs in the early part of incubation, either by ejecting them from the nest or, more frequently, by nest desertion.
© 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Gail McPeek
Literature Cited 5.15.2008. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Laurel, MD. Adams Jr., R.J, G.A. McPeek, and DC Evers. Stokes, D.W. and L.Q. Stokes. 1983. A Guide to 1988. Bird population changes in Michigan, Bird Behavior (vol. II). Little, Brown and 1966-1985. Jack-Pine Warbler 66:71-86. Co., Boston, MA. Barrows, W.B. 1912. Michigan Bird Life. Witmer, M.C. 1996a. Annual diet of Cedar Special Bulletin. Michigan Agricultural Waxwings based on U.S. Biological Survey College. Lansing, MI. records (1885-1950) compared to diet of Brush, A. H. 1990. A possible source for the American Robin: contrasts in dietary pattern rhodoxanthin in some Cedar Waxwing tails. and natural history. Auk 113:414-430. Journal of Field Ornithology 61:355. Witmer, M.C. 1996b. Consequences of an alien Droege, S., and J.R. Sauer. 1990. North shrub on the plumage coloration and American breeding bird survey annual ecology of Cedar Waxwings. Auk 113:735- summary, 1989. U.S. Fish and Wildlife 743. Service Biological Report No. 90(8). Witmer, M.C., D.J. Mountjoy, and L. Elliot. Eastman, J. 1991. Cedar Waxwing. In Brewer, 1997. Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla R., G.A. McPeek, and R.J. Adams Jr. (eds.). cedrorum). In The Birds of North America, 1991. The Atlas of Breeding Birds of No. 367 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Michigan. Michigan State University Press. Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, East Lansing, MI. PA. Kalamazoo Nature Center (KNC). 2004. Whitmer, M. 2008. Cedar Waxwing. In Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas II Handbook. McGowan, K.J., and K. Corwin (eds.). 2008. Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo, MI. The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New Kits, J.H. 2007. Cedar Waxwing. In Cadman, York State. Cornell University Press. M.D., D.A. Sutherland, G.G. Beck, D. Ithaca, NY. Lepage, and A.R. Couturier (eds.). Atlas of the Breeding birds of Ontario, 2001-2005. Suggested Citation Bird Studies Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Ontario McPeek, G. 2011. Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario cedrorum). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. Baldy, and Nature. Toronto, Ontario. J.M. Brenneman (eds.). 2010-2011. The Robbins, C.S., D. Bystrak, and P.H. Geissler. Second Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. 1986. The Breeding Bird Survey: Its First Kalamazoo Nature Center. Kalamazoo, MI. Fifteen Years, 1965-1979. Research Accessed online at:
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