Attract this bird

How to attract cedar waxwings to your yard

Cedar Waxwings respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 61 states and provinces.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

First: is it in your area, and when?

You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Cedar Waxwing is a year-round resident in 40 states and provinces, including British Columbia, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois and 34 more — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 8, such as Alaska, Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island and 2 more, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 13, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia and 7 more, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.

See the Cedar Waxwing in your state →

Plant what cedar waxwings use

These native plants are tied to the Cedar Waxwing in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.

Plant	Type	States	Why it helps
Smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Shrub	53	Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	41	Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	39	Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea	Tree	39	Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Winterberry Ilex verticillata	Shrub	36	Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
American elderberry Sambucus canadensis	Shrub	35	Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Flowering dogwood Cornus florida	Tree	30	Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina	Shrub	30	Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red-osier dogwood Cornus sericea	Shrub	25	White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Shrub	21	Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Your list covers 2 plant layers (shrub, tree). Layering matters: add structure around these — a shrub layer under the trees gives cedar waxwings a safe approach. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.

Offer the food it actually eats

Almost entirely fruit; insects in summer.

Warm months: Serviceberry, cherry and mulberry fruit
Cold months: Juniper, holly and crabapple
At feeders: Fresh or frozen berries

Feeder style matters as much as food: shallow bird bath (1–2 in deep) is the first choice for this bird. Waxwings wander in flocks after fruit crops and rarely use feeders — fruiting natives and water are the draw. Feeder guide →

Full seasonal diet →

Give it a place to nest

Natural site: Loose cup in tree forks, often late June.

It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.

Clutch: 2–6 eggs
Incubation: 11–13 days
Nestling period: 14–18 days
Broods per year: 1–2 per season

Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around June in Colorado but not until July in Yukon. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.

Water, safety and patience

A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.

Frequently asked

What attracts cedar waxwings to a yard?

Food they actually eat (fresh or frozen berries), native plants such as Smooth sumac, Black cherry, Eastern red cedar, clean water and suitable nesting cover: loose cup in tree forks, often late june.

What plants attract cedar waxwings?

Across the Cedar Waxwing's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Choose the ones native to your state.

When should I set up my yard for nesting cedar waxwings?

Nesting starts around June in Colorado and as late as July in Yukon. Have cover, water ready a month before.

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.