Bohemian Waxwing in May
Where bohemian waxwings are in May, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
May in the Bohemian Waxwing's year
May is the peak of the birding year. Migration floods the North, dawn chorus is at its loudest, and nesting is underway across most of the continent. By month's end the first broods of the year are hatching in mid-latitudes.
For the Bohemian Waxwing specifically, May is a spring month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 40 states and provinces where bohemian waxwings occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where bohemian waxwings are in May
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In May, bohemian waxwings are absent in the South, summer breeder across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in May
Bohemian waxwings are not nesting in May. The season runs June–July at mid-latitudes, starting roughly a month earlier in the South.
Outside the nesting season, bohemian waxwings put their energy into feeding and flocking rather than territory and young — which is exactly what makes them easier to watch and attract this month.
What to feed in May
- Insects caught over boreal bogs
Irruptive winter flocks strip berry trees bare in a morning; plant mountain-ash and crabapple to host them.
Adults feeding nestlings need easy calories. Some species that ignored feeders all winter now visit regularly, and you may see fledglings brought to feeders by their parents.
Full Bohemian Waxwing diet guide → · Best feeder for bohemian waxwings →
Watching bohemian waxwings this month
Bohemian waxwings are settled and predictable in May, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region bohemian waxwings are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Bohemian Waxwing month by month
Bohemian Waxwing by state
Frequently asked
Where are bohemian waxwings in May?
In May, bohemian waxwings are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do bohemian waxwings nest in May?
No — bohemian waxwings typically nest June through July at mid-latitudes.
What do bohemian waxwings eat in May?
Insects caught over boreal bogs.
Sources
- Bohemian Waxwing — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bohemian Waxwing life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bohemian 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.