A cedar waxwing with a black mask perched among leaves and berries. — Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

A sleek, masked, fruit-loving bird with waxy red wing tips that wanders in flocks to find berries.

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About the Cedar Waxwing

Cedar waxwings are 6 to 7 inches long and weigh about 1.1 ounces. They have silky feathers, a pointed crest and a black mask. They live in woods, orchards, farmland and backyards and wander to find fruit instead of migrating on a set schedule. They swallow berries whole, such as blueberry, dogwood, serviceberry and juniper, and also eat some insects.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Bombycilla cedrorum^[1]
Size: 6 to 7 inches long.^[1]
Weight: About 1.1 ounces.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to 8 years.^[1]
Diet: Mostly fruit and berries, plus some insects.^[1]
Habitat: Forests, forest edges, orchards, farmland and backyards.^[1]
Where it lives: North America.^[1]
Group life: Flocks, sometimes of hundreds. Active by day.^[1]
Babies: Cup nests in tree forks, timed for when fruit ripens.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

Waxwings swallow berries whole.^[1]
Courting waxwings pass berries back and forth.^[1]
They can get tipsy from eating fermented berries.^[1]

Vocabulary

frugivore: An animal that eats mostly fruit.
nomadic: Moving from place to place instead of living in one spot.
crest: A tuft of feathers on top of a bird's head.
courtship: Behavior animals use to attract a mate.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Cedar waxwing.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/cedar-waxwing (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Bombycilla cedrorum (Cedar Waxwing).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22708153/137475540 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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