Waxwings in Sweden
When the Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) is present in Sweden, when it nests, and which native Sweden plants supply the food it depends on.
- Status in Sweden
- Summer visitor
- Nesting season
- July
- Size
- 18 cm, 55 g
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
When to expect waxwings in Sweden
The Waxwing arrives in Sweden in spring to breed and leaves again in autumn. Short, intense summers with very long days.
Temperate in the south, boreal across most of the country and subarctic in the far north.
Nesting in Sweden
In Sweden the Waxwing usually nests July. Nest site: cup in arctic conifers. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 14 days; chicks fledge after 14–15 days, and pairs raise 1 per year.
- The Waxwing does not use enclosed nest boxes — dense native shrubs and climbers give it nest sites.
- Avoid cutting hedges during the nesting season (roughly March to August) — in the UK, disturbing an active nest is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Native Sweden plants for waxwings
Of the native plants we track for Sweden, these 8 provide food the Waxwing uses:
Haws feed thrushes all winter; spring blossom supports hundreds of insect species.
Orange-red berries are a magnet for Blackbirds, thrushes and Waxwings from August.
Late-winter berries when little else is left, plus dense nesting cover.
Late-summer berries taken by Blackcaps and thrushes.
Thorny cover that protects nests; early blossom for insects.
Hips persist into winter for thrushes and finches.
Translucent red berries in autumn.
Pink-orange fruit eaten by Robins and thrushes.
Feeding in the garden
Berries — rowan, cotoneaster and apples.
- Best foods: Apples.
- Rarely uses feeders.
- Irrupts every few winters; check supermarket car parks with rowans.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked
Are waxwings in Sweden all year?
No. The Waxwing is a summer visitor to Sweden, arriving to breed and leaving in autumn.
When do waxwings nest in Sweden?
Typically July. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 14 days, with 1 per year.
Which native plants help waxwings in Sweden?
Hawthorn, Rowan, Ivy, Elder, Blackthorn, Dog rose, Guelder rose, Spindle are native to Sweden and provide food or cover the Waxwing uses.
Waxwings in other countries
Other garden birds in Sweden
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.