the cedar waxwing (bombycilla cedrorum) is a member of the family bombycillidae or waxwing family of passerine birds .
it is a medium-sized , mostly brown , gray , and yellow bird named for its wax-like wing tips .
it is a native of north and central america , breeding in open wooded areas in southern canada and wintering in the southern half of the united states , central america , and the far northwest of south america .
its diet includes cedar cones , fruit , and insects .
the cedar waxwing is not endangered .
the genus name bombycilla comes from the ancient greek bombux , "silk" and the modern latin cilla , "tail"; this is a direct translation of the german seidenschwanz , "silk-tail", and refers to the silky-soft plumage of these birds .
the specific cedrorum is latin for "of the cedars" .
cedar waxwings are a medium-sized bird approximately 67 in (1518 cm) long and weigh roughly 30 g (1.1 oz) .
they are smaller and more brown than their close relative , the bohemian waxwing (which breeds farther to the north and west) .
it is a "silky , shiny collection of brown , gray , and lemon-yellow , accented with a subdued crest , rakish black mask , and brilliant-red wax droplets on the wing feathers .
" these birds' most prominent feature is this small cluster of red wax-like droplets on tips of secondary flight feathers on the wings , a feature they share with the bohemian waxwing (but not the japanese waxwing) .
the wings are "broad and pointed , like a starling's .
" the tail is typically yellow or orange depending on diet .
birds that have fed on berries of introduced eurasian honeysuckles while growing tail feathers will have darker orange-tipped tail-feathers .
the tail is somewhat short , and square-tipped .
adults have a pale yellow belly .
the waxwing's crest often "lies flat and droops over the back of the head .
" it has a short and wide bill .
the waxwing's black mask has a thin white border .
immature birds are streaked on the throat and flanks , and often do not have the black mask of the adults .
males and females look alike .
the flight of waxwings is strong and direct , and the movement of the flock in flight resembles that of a flock of small pale european starlings .
cedar waxwings fly at 40 km/h (25 mph) and fly at an altitude of 610 m (2,000 ft) .
cedar waxwings are also known as the southern waxwing , canada robin , cedar bird , cherry bird , or recellet .
the oldest observed cedar waxwing was eight years and two months old .
the two common calls of these birds include very high-pitched whistles and buzzy trills about a half second long often represented as see or sree .
its call can also be described as "high , thin , whistles .
" they call often , especially in flight .
preferred habitat consists of trees at the edge of wooded areas , or "open" forests , especially those that provide access to berry sources as well as water .
they are frequently seen in fruiting trees .
waxwings are attracted to the sound of running water , and love to bathe in and drink from shallow creeks .
in urban or suburban environments , waxwings often favor parkland with well-spaced trees; golf courses , cemeteries , or other landscaping with well-spaced trees; bushes that provide berries; and a nearby water source such as a fountain or birdbath .
also look for them near farms , orchards , and gardens , particularly ones with fruiting trees or shrubs .
outside the breeding season , cedar waxwings often feed in large flocks numbering hundreds of birds .
this species is nomadic and irruptive , with erratic winter movements , though most of the population migrates farther south into the united states and beyond , sometimes reaching as far as northern south america .
they will move in huge numbers if berry supplies are low .
rare vagrants have reached western europe , and there are two recorded occurrences of cedar waxwing sightings in great britain .
individual bohemian waxwings will occasionally join large winter flocks of cedar waxwings .
cedar waxwings are sociable , seen in flocks year round .
they are non-territorial birds and "will often groom each other .
" they move from place to place depending on where they can find good sources of berries .
mating season for this bird begins around the end of spring and runs through late summer .
the male will do a "hopping dance" for the female .
if she is interested , she'll hop back .
during courtship the male and female will sit together and pass small objects back and forth , such as flower petals or an insect .
mating pairs will sometimes rub their beaks together affectionately .
the nest is a loose open cup built with grass and twigs , lined with softer materials and supported by a tree branch averaging 2 to 6 m (6.6 to 19.7 ft) above ground but , at times , considerably higher .
it takes around five or six days for the female waxwing to build the nest and can take up to 2,500 trips back and forth .
sometimes the female will steal nest material from other species' nests to save time .
the outer diameter of the nest is approximately 12 to 16 cm (4.7 to 6.3 in) .
usually 5 or 6 eggs are laid and the female incubates them for 11 to 13 days .
the eggs are oval shaped with a smooth surface and very little , if any , gloss .
the egg shells are of various shades of light or bluish grey with irregular , dark brown spots or greyish-brown splotches .
both parents build the nest and feed the young .
typically , there are one or two broods during the mating season .
young leave the nest about 14 to 18 days after hatching .
the cedar waxwing eats berries and sugary fruit year-round , including "dogwood , serviceberry , cedar , juniper , hawthorn , and winterberry", with insects becoming an important part of the diet in the breeding season .
its fondness for the small cones of the eastern redcedar (a kind of juniper) gave this bird its common name .
they eat berries whole .
they sometimes fly over water to catch insects .
when the end of a twig holds a supply of berries that only one bird at a time can reach , members of a flock may line up along the twig and pass berries beak to beak down the line so that each bird gets a chance to eat .
sometimes , cedar waxwings will eat fruit that is overripe and has begun to ferment , intoxicating the bird .
waxwings are evaluated as least concern on the iucn red list of endangered species .
populations are increasing in their range partly because fields are being allowed to grow into forests and shrublands , and fruiting trees like mountain ash are being planted as landscaping .
on the other hand , cedar waxwings do sometimes crash into windows , and get hit by cars while foraging along roadsides .
