7.25 inches long. The Cedar Waxwing is a sleek crested bird with overall brown gray plumage. It has a pale brown breast fading into a yellow belly. There is a pale brown crest and a black face mask edged with white and a black chin patch. The back is dark brown and the wings are dark with red waxy tips on the secondaries. The red tips are not present in all birds. The undertail coverts are light colored. The black tail has a yellow tip. Juveniles have a much duller grayer head and body with blurry streaks on the underparts.
At times the Cedar Waxwing is a very common bird in the Forest. This is an irruptive bird that can be abundant at any time of the year or completely gone from the area at times.
The Cedar Waxwing is frequently found in large flocks feeding on fruit. Although it eats fruit throughout the year, it will add insects to its diet during the summer. The search for fruits is the cause for its nomadic nature. The breeding season of the Cedar Waxwing is late in the year to coincide with the seasonal availability of summer-ripening fruits. The call is a high pitched, screeched “zeeet” that is often given in flight.
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