What berries attract cedar waxwings?

10 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
10 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
10 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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Comments (6)
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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cedar waxwing
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Comments (12)
I have another wren in the barn and I will be sad if I see a pile of russet feathers. They forage around too low and aren't afraid. My cats live in the barn. My two crab apples have very small fruit like a berry. They have no disease problems and bloom reliably but briefly in spring. The apples are not the colorful attractive ones that are bigger, but they are a good size for birds. I saw two bluebirds in one of them yesterday also. These trees were planted years ago. They are white with pink buds, very small fruit and were sold as disease resistant. If you are getting one for birds, check that it has fruit that persists into winter and small fruit. I will look in my file and see if I can find the name because my trees have been trouble free for thirty years.
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Cedar Waxwings.........
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Comments (6)
Great capture!I have had as many as a dozen around my pond. One pair is nesting somewhere near here but I haven't found where. I don't think they are in the tree they used last year. We have been planting berries for the last few years and they are becoming regulars. Before that they were a rare sight for me.Way cool birds!
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Hi everyone! I saw a Cedar Waxwing! 2nd time in my life!
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Comments (8)
Good shot dante- idk how to 'add' people or what you mean, but nice pics! Deanine thanks! I just got a new camera with a better zoom to it- I was looking at dslr's but, the weight with the additional lens on it- due to an injury I have w my arm, I couldn't shoot w it, so- back to point n shoots for now til/if I get better. I have a Canon powershot sx40, and also a Sony d-700 (or something like that idk lol) I love them both, you can find a good camera on craigslist believe it or not~ Just always ask HOW MANY photos they've taken with it, once it gets up over 1000-2000 they lose their sharp/crispness in the pics.
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Dante1709
10 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
10 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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