Cedar Waxwings in Pennsylvania
When cedar waxwings are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- June–August
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
When to expect cedar waxwings in Pennsylvania
Cedar Waxwings live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward juniper, holly and crabapple.
Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, cedar waxwings typically nest from June–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.
Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- Cedar Waxwings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, black cherry, flowering dogwood for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native Pennsylvania plants that attract cedar waxwings
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover cedar waxwings use:
Winter fruit.
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Feeding cedar waxwings through the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.
Full diet breakdown for cedar waxwings · Best feeder for cedar waxwings
Frequently asked
Are cedar waxwings in Pennsylvania year-round?
Yes. Cedar Waxwings are year-round residents in Pennsylvania.
When do cedar waxwings nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania typically runs June–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract cedar waxwings in Pennsylvania?
Winterberry, Black cherry, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, American elderberry are native plants in Pennsylvania that provide food or cover for cedar waxwings.
Cedar Waxwings in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
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 — Pennsylvania
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.