Wyoming · Year-round resident

Cedar Waxwings in Wyoming

When cedar waxwings are present in Wyoming, when they nest, which native Wyoming plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.

Waxwings (Bombycillidae)Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum

Status in Wyoming: Year-round resident
Nesting window: July–August
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–5b

When to expect cedar waxwings in Wyoming

Cedar Waxwings live in Wyoming all year. Cold, very windy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward juniper, holly and crabapple.

Semi-arid high plains and basins with major mountain ranges; most towns lie above 5,000 ft.

Nesting in Wyoming

Across Wyoming, 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 with cool nights.

Cedar Waxwings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native Wyoming plants that attract cedar waxwings

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

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea · Shrub

White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.

Common hackberry

Celtis occidentalis · Tree

Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

Golden currant

Ribes aureum · Shrub

Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.

Western serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia · Shrub

Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.

Buffaloberry

Shepherdia argentea · Shrub

Tart red fruit that persists into winter.

Feeding cedar waxwings through the Wyoming 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 Wyoming's winter: Cold, very windy winters.

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

Frequently asked

Are cedar waxwings in Wyoming year-round?

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

When do cedar waxwings nest in Wyoming?

Nesting in Wyoming 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 Wyoming?

Smooth sumac, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Common hackberry, Rocky Mountain juniper, Golden currant, Western serviceberry, Buffaloberry are native plants in Wyoming that provide food or cover for cedar waxwings.

Other backyard birds in Wyoming

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole 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.