Diet
What do cedar waxwings eat?
Almost entirely fruit; insects in summer.
Waxwings (Bombycillidae)Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
Spring and summer diet
- Serviceberry, cherry and mulberry fruit
Fall and winter diet
- Juniper, holly and crabapple
Best feeder foods
- Fresh or frozen berries
Waxwings wander in flocks after fruit crops and rarely use feeders — fruiting natives and water are the draw.
Where cedar waxwings need winter food
Regions where cedar waxwings are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaQuebecRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do cedar waxwings eat?
Almost entirely fruit; insects in summer.
What is the best food to feed cedar waxwings?
Fresh or frozen berries.
What do cedar waxwings eat in winter?
Juniper, holly and crabapple.
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
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.