Bombycilla cedrorum

Family: Bombycillidae

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is a sleek, crested songbird with silky brown-gray plumage, a black facial mask, and a bright yellow tail tip. In Minnesota, it is often found in small flocks around woodland edges, orchards, parks, and fruiting trees, where its quiet calls and smooth, upright posture help distinguish it from busier songbirds.

For representative images and visual context, see the page: Cedar Waxwing in the Gallery section.

Description

Bombycilla cedrorum is recognized by:

Size: a medium-small songbird, slimmer than an American Robin and larger than most warblers
Plumage: silky brown head and upper breast fading into gray wings and tail, with a pale yellow wash on the belly
Bill: short, dark, and slightly broad-based, suited to fruit and small insects
Structure: pointed crest, smooth rounded body, long tail, and an upright perched posture
Sex differences: sexes are similar; adults may show small red waxy tips on the wing feathers, while immature birds are duller and more streaked below

The overall field impression is of a polished, smooth-looking bird: crested, masked, softly colored, and usually seen perched calmly or moving with a small flock.

Habitat and Range

Typical habitats include:

Woodland edges, open woods, and riparian corridors
Orchards, parks, gardens, and residential areas with fruiting trees
Shrubby edges, cedar groves, crabapple trees, serviceberry, dogwood, and other fruit-bearing plants

Notes may include:

Cedar Waxwings are widespread in Minnesota and may be present year-round, though their local abundance changes with food availability.
Flocks often appear suddenly where berries, small fruits, or flower buds are available.
In spring and summer, pairs and small groups may be seen in flowering or leafing trees; later in the year, larger flocks often gather around fruit.
Their movements can feel irregular because they follow food sources rather than staying tied to one small territory outside the nesting season.

Identification

Key features for field diagnosis:

Shape: slim, elegant songbird with a pointed crest, long tail, and smooth upright posture
Plumage: warm brown head and breast, gray wings, pale yellow belly, black mask edged in white, and a yellow tail band
Bill: short and dark, often visible as a compact triangular shape in profile
Voice: high, thin, slightly buzzy calls, often given by birds moving through the tops of trees
Behavior: frequently social; perches quietly in groups, plucks fruit or buds, and may pass small food items during courtship

The combination of crest, black mask, silky brown-gray plumage, and yellow tail tip separates Cedar Waxwing from most other Minnesota songbirds. Bohemian Waxwing is larger and grayer, with richer rufous undertail coverts and more extensive wing patterning.

Behavior and Ecology

Cedar Waxwings are strongly social and are often seen in pairs, family groups, or flocks.
During courtship, a pair may pass a berry, petal, bud, or small plant piece back and forth before one bird eats it.
Nesting typically occurs in shrubs or trees, often later than many songbirds because waxwings time breeding around fruit and insect availability.
Feeding behavior and diet include:
- Primary food type: berries and small fruits
- Secondary food type: insects, especially during the breeding season
- Seasonal food source: flower buds, petals, ripening fruit, cedar berries, crabapples, and other ornamental or wild fruits

As fruit-eating birds, Cedar Waxwings are important seed dispersers and can be a conspicuous seasonal presence wherever berry crops are heavy.

Notes

A spring pair was observed passing a small green tree bud between them, matching the buds on the surrounding branches.
This food-passing behavior is consistent with Cedar Waxwing courtship and pair-bonding behavior.
The yellow tail band is often one of the easiest field marks to confirm in photographs.
Red waxy wing tips may be visible on some adults but are not always obvious, depending on angle, age, feather wear, and image detail.
In Minnesota, look for Cedar Waxwings by listening for thin, high calls from the tops of trees and checking fruiting edges, flowering trees, and ornamental plantings.

References

Cornell Lab of Ornithology – All About Birds
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing
Audubon Field Guide
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/cedar-waxwing
iNaturalist taxon page
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12944-Bombycilla-cedrorum