Wisconsin · Year-round resident

Cedar Waxwings in Wisconsin

When cedar waxwings are present in Wisconsin, when they nest, which native Wisconsin plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6a yard.

Waxwings (Bombycillidae)Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum

Status in Wisconsin: Year-round resident
Nesting window: July–August
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–6a

When to expect cedar waxwings in Wisconsin

Cedar Waxwings live in Wisconsin all year. Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward juniper, holly and crabapple.

Humid continental, with two Great Lakes shorelines, northern forest and southern prairie-oak savanna.

Nesting in Wisconsin

Across Wisconsin, 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.

Warm, humid summers.

Cedar Waxwings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as eastern red cedar, serviceberry, winterberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native Wisconsin plants that attract cedar waxwings

Of the regional native plants we track for Wisconsin, these 8 provide food or cover cedar waxwings use:

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Feeding cedar waxwings through the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin's winter: Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north.

Full diet breakdown for cedar waxwings · Best feeder for cedar waxwings

Frequently asked

Are cedar waxwings in Wisconsin year-round?

Yes. Cedar Waxwings are year-round residents in Wisconsin.

When do cedar waxwings nest in Wisconsin?

Nesting in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?

Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush are native plants in Wisconsin that provide food or cover for cedar waxwings.

Other backyard birds in Wisconsin

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Eurasian Collared-Dove

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.