What berries attract cedar waxwings?

11 years ago

I was just wondering what plants with berries attract cedar waxwings? I have a bird garden and I want to bring cedar waxwings to it. I last saw one at my old house in a pine tree when I was about six. Thanks!

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Comments (4)

Konrad___far_north
11 years ago
Cedar Waxwings are timing with their nestlings on the oncoming
of their favored berries to feed their young, not sure what that would be in your area, find out and then go with this plant.
Cedars just about eating anything when it comes to berries, just make sure this fruit is ripening at the time of hatchlings.
Here it's the native Saskatoon's, Cedar's should just about now build their nest here.

As for Winter food, they like chokecherries, crab apples and some mountain ash.
terrene
11 years ago
I have heard that Cedar Waxwings are named after the berries of Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) which they apparently love to eat. In my yard, I've observed them eating the Crabapples, Elderberries, Pokeweed berries, and the Burning bush berries (although I have since removed the burning bush because it's an invasive shrub).
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Cedar waxwings are probably my favorite bird. I used to live in a tiny cottage that had 2 huge yaupon hollies loaded with berries. The robins and mockingbirds didn't take much interest in the berries until the waxwings would start to show up. They would stand guard as the visitors gathered on the powerline. Finally, one waxwing would fly down to the yaupon and draw the guard away. The others would then all swoop down and start their feeding frenzy. After a day or two, the berries would be completely gone. Once, I happened to look outside to see an amazing sight. The waxwings were covering my yaupon, and flying down in a vortex to a nandina bush under the tree. It looked like a cedar waxwing tornado. Now, since I've moved, my yaupons are much smaller so I don't notice any hoards of waxwings doing their business. I usually see them now whenever I hear their mournful song. I'll look up in the bare trees and sure enough I'll see a flock of them. Often this time of year I can also see them doing a little dance right off of the treetops. I think they are eating gnats or some flying insect.
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Comments (17)
I usually see them in the fall when they come back through. They flock to the ligustrum trees and eat the berries. I loving seeing them. They are such happy active little birds. Linda, when I was a kid I remember birds eating China berries that had fallen from my grandmothers tree. She'd laugh because they would stagger around drunk afterwards as the berries were somewhat fermented. Maybe the fermenting process destroys some of the poison. I just now looked up 'drunk birds' on line. As well as speaking to the subject of 'drunks' the article says birds can eat without harm poison seeds that would kill other creatures. Here is a link that might be useful: Drunk birds and other interesting things ....
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Comments (8)
Fantastic photos of the bluebirds and waxwings together. That is luck to see them together, let alone get a good photo. We have waxwings here all summer, but so often they are high up in trees, most people don't notice them. They like black cherries, and when i canoe the river i see them flycatching alot. And congrats newyorkrita on your bird garden paying off. Glad the Wentworths were well used, so many people report birds not touching the highbush cranberries. I saw cardinals picking at them once, but i think they were only after the pits inside. I may have to think about planting a Cardinal Candy viburnum. Winterberries - ive never had those last late in the year. I had a robin that would camp out until they were all gone, in December.
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Comments (22)
Thanks again everybody, ...we love to share our birds here. :) Carol23- We shoot hand-held (in Manual mode) with 3 Canon compact superzooms... an S3-IS, an S5-IS, and an SX30-IS. These are similar, inexpensive cameras and photographing wildlife of any kind with them can be challenging. But we have had a lot of practice and find they suit our needs as backyard birders on a budget. :) Kenn Here is a link that might be useful: Kenn & Temple - Backyard Birders
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Dante1709
11 years ago
As terrene said, Cedar waxwings are named after red cedar (which is actually a type of juniper), and the berries are actually a type of cone..

During the summer, they feed on serviceberry, strawberry, mulberry, dogwood, and raspberries.

During the winter, fall..etc they feed on mistletoe, madrone, juniper, mountain ash, honeysuckle, crabapple, hawthorn, and Russian olive fruits.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
11 years ago
Winterberries (Ilex verticillata) too. Here is the results of a few weeks of hard work by the waxwings last December.

December 8, 2011

December 26, 2011

That was a very big winterberry with a lot of berries.

Claire

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What berries attract cedar waxwings?

Comments (4)

Konrad___far_north

terrene

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Dante1709

claireplymouth z6b coastal MA

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