Cedar Waxwings in Ontario
When cedar waxwings are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- July–August
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
When to expect cedar waxwings in Ontario
Cedar Waxwings live in Ontario all year. Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward juniper, holly and crabapple.
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, cedar waxwings typically nest from July–August. Nest site: loose cup in tree forks, often late June. Females lay 2–6 eggs, incubate for 11–13 days, and young leave the nest after 14–18 days.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Cedar Waxwings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Ontario plants that attract cedar waxwings
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover cedar waxwings use:
Fruit and cover.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding cedar waxwings through the Ontario year
Waxwings wander in flocks after fruit crops and rarely use feeders — fruiting natives and water are the draw.
- Best foods: Fresh or frozen berries.
- In Ontario's winter: Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Full diet breakdown for cedar waxwings · Best feeder for cedar waxwings
Frequently asked
Are cedar waxwings in Ontario year-round?
Yes. Cedar Waxwings are year-round residents in Ontario.
When do cedar waxwings nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs July–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract cedar waxwings in Ontario?
Red-osier dogwood, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, Black cherry are native plants in Ontario that provide food or cover for cedar waxwings.
Cedar Waxwings in other regions
Other backyard birds in Ontario
Sources
- Cedar Waxwing — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Cedar Waxwing life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Cedar Waxwing — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.