Cedar Waxwing

Learn more about this colorful, exotic-looking species that likes to hang out in flocks.

[@loganbagley7822]

Such delightful little birds. I can always hear them long before I see them thanks to their distinctive high-pitched vocalizations.👍👍

[@-learningaswegrow3396]

I just got to see a flock of these in my backyard!! I had never seen them before in person! It was so amazing! Especially since I prayed last night that God would bring more birds to my yard! Even my hummingbirds came back today! And we had Cali Towhee, finches, house finches and a few sparrows today!!! So much beauty!

[@PhillHermans]

I saw a tree full of these today in Berkeley and had to pull my bike over to investigate. I was able to quickly identify them using Ebird and BirdNet! This video is informative as well!! Thanks!!

[@stevefitz2522]

A couple days ago at my work I watched a pair of these waxwings flying along the side of our building, they would go to the spiders webs and pluck the spider right off the web while hovering, first time I ever saw that behaviour, awesome

[@vivere__]

I saw some waxwings today doing aerial acrobatics catching bugs in the air close to a river. Never seen that before

[@Lexi-vj1lm]

i rehabilitated a baby injured cedar waxwing that fell out of his nest during a hurricane about 2 days after birth. his baby brother died at impact from the fall. he was such a loving and social little baby. i love these birds so much now from my experience raising one. they are truly special!

[@JB-cp3bh]

I am raising a wee one in the exact same scenario!!! Found him just last week, right in front of my portal (I live downtown); his little brother was gone, and he (or she, I don’t know yet) was frozen in shock, standing right beside 😢 Needless to say I took it home immediately. Poor baby was so tense, completely exhausted I suppose, so I did not want to stress him much. He would just not lay down, so I let him be, comforted and mother him as I could, mixed a little bit of white bread with water and a pinch of maple syrup for energy, and as he opened his mouth, I fed him and gave him water to drink. Cuddled him in my chest for a while and then I put him in a little tupperware with soft tissue and let him be. Now and then I’d knock on his tiny beak and let him decide whether or not he wanted more food. He ate and un-ate, so I was praying he’d make it through the night. In the midst of all, I had to travel about 1500 miles this weekend. My wonderful coworker has had many a bird at her house for years, so she immediately agreed to babysit him while I was away. She brought me baby formula and I brought him to work and started feeding him. The very same day he already started to move his little wings and clean himself, and the rest of the time I had him wrapped in my chest. Then I departed for two days and my sweet coworker took him home. You should see the change in two days! He’s double up in size, his tail has grown, his beautiful feathers are much fuller, a complete metamorphosis! I came back today and couldn’t believe it. Since they love fruit and berries, my coworker started giving him tiny pieces of raisins previously softened in hot water. She also provided a beautiful cage, so the little guy sits in the bar, opens his mouth and we feed him with a toothpick; now he doesn’t want the formula anymore 😂 I have him at home with me. It is my intention to provide him with the safety (and comfort, to be honest) of the cage for now, so he can start jumping back and forth, but as he gets stronger and starts learning how to fly the cage will remain open at all times, so he come in and out as he pleases. My apartment is also very safe because is perfectly fresh and cool, and it has screens in all windows. Eventually I’ll take him out with me and see what he wants to do. I mean, the little guy is literally my neighbor, as I found him at the tree right outside my door, so who’s to say he might decide to get his own family and still come upstairs for raisins and cuddles? Everything can happen. He is definitely and absolute sweetheart and we both have imprinted on each other ❤️ Any advice on what’s best for this adorable baby is more than welcome 😊

[@stephenc2903]

⁠​⁠@@JB-cp3bhI’m curious how it’s going with this little guy!

[@JB-cp3bh]

@@stephenc2903 thanks for asking, you’re a doll 😊 Pollito lived safely and happily with me for over three weeks. The bond we had (and always will) could not be explained with words, but I will try my best. This is a wild bird that has sat with me for hours listening to entire performances of Bach of Beethoven greatest works. His first little flight was from my desk (where his cage was sitting, open freely) to my shoulder. I have fed him, washed him, cuddled him to sleep every night and see his sweet bandit face first thing in the morning when he’d come to wake me up. This little cutie would lay down on top of his cage and while I was caressing and talking softly to him he’d kind of start tilting sideways, lift his tiny wing and offer me his belly, just like a puppy 🥹 such was the trust and confidence we both had. I personally saw to it that he’d know ONLY the most excellent qualities of our kind, and none of the bad traits. We had a little outing at my friends yard, where he went up on a tree branch and sat there for two hours absolutely enjoying himself in his natural environment. I had to bring him down, imagine getting a kid out of the park 😂 I took home some branches and made him a “make-believe” tree by hanging them up in the light fixture in the roof. He absolutely loved it, and still preferred to be next to me sometimes 😭❤️🥰 Eventually, while searching for a suitable and safe aviary where he could learn to be a bird, I could get in touch with a wildlife rehabilitation center. Wonderful, caring folks who completely understood the situation. By a wonderful twist of fate, they told me that they were actually praying for another Waxwing to arrive, and showed me a picture of this sweet little fella, who could not have been more than a week younger than my Pollito. So, with my heart completely broken, but knowing that it was the best I could do for him, I surrendered him to the rehabilitation center 💔 He knew, he absolutely knew that something was going on; he had barely eaten the night before, and same during that morning. All he wanted was being close to me 😪 We drove for two hours, his cage in the passenger seat, as always. When we arrived we still had to wait around for a while, so I took him out of the cage, windows closed, air conditioning on, and we drove around town, with him sitting either on my shoulder or next to it on the driver seat. Had I known earlier, I would have done the entire trip like that to make him even more comfortable. Then we sat under the shade of a beautiful tree, I fed him, and we say our goodbyes. I let him under the care of the wildlife folks. That was last Saturday. Both kids have been together for days now, healthy, eating very well and combining only God knows what sort of shenanigans. Eventually they will be ready to be released, but I don’t know what chances I have if being able to witness it. I haven’t had the heart to even bring down the dry branches from his “tree”. I will never forget my little lad. My sweet Pollito ❤️ May he find the utmost happiness and the best life. My window will always have our music, our personal call, soaring through it, in case he needs to come back some day.

[@JB-cp3bh]

@@stephenc2903 I got news today that Pollito and his little buddy have been successfully released this weekend 🎉❤😊

[@slywlf]

Such beautiful elegant looking birds with such sweet ethereal voices ;-) Time to look up what I can plant to attract them ;-)

[@JulieMoran1832]

I know yaupon holly trees will attract them. Beware the berries are poisonous to people and dogs. If that's not a hurdle for you, and you live in the right planting zone get you a male and female tree. Hollies are dioecious, meaning that they need male and female plants in order to produce seeds, which are what berries are. So only female holly bushes will have the red berries.

[@Trund27]

Love love love love!! I love birds so much

[@awakenedpisces680]

Me too😁😁

[@donnadees1971]

in Little Rock AR our pastor had us go outside to see a flock of cedar waxwings in our plot of land. I was thrilled.

[@janedoe1776]

Such a beautiful bird.

[@MALZEL-19F]

I love their squeals.

[@LynnieDW]

I found a dead one last year when I moved in. It is my favorite bird. Just this week, I realized there are many! I’m so excited. They became my favorite bird way back in the 1980s in a Natural History class in college. I feel so fortunate to have recently moved to an area which has them!

[@lindadowling1017]

Just wonderful..thank u for the video plus your commentary

[@lindsaymoore3534]

They are beautiful! Just found out yesterday I have them around my house.

[@mh605]

They like berries, such as ornamental cranberries, that stay on the bush and dry up, so they have something to eat in the winter. Chokecherries are good, too.

[@htmphoto]

See 2:00 into video for my picture. She is actually dismantling last year's oriole nest - not creating one of her own.

[@cynthiastretch844]

I just saw an experience then this past week for first time they were so amazing an did not seem to be scared of people the berry tree tree is right in front of my door an all the sudden a flock of them appeared so so beautiful wish I new about the fruit i have apples an think they eat right out your hand.a wonderful site love them an want to see them a lot awe💖🙏

[@Ambipie]

The adorable little bird that can sincerely *shut up!*

[@lovepet4565]

I had a flock of these beautiful birds fly through my yard to eat ! It was so pretty

[@mh605]

There were a bunch of them this morning on my crabapple tree, eating the fruit.

[@TypeR3522]

So pretty

[@JulieMoran1832]

Had a dead waxwing in my yard. Mouth was hung open and in it was a dried leaf jammed inside. I think that's what killed it, thought that seemed strange to me. Such a pretty bird. I have many on my bird feeders.

[@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy]

We've got a bunch of them along the Cuyahoga river in NE Ohio. Pretty cool to watch, they're always busy.

[@Liuhuayue]

Cedar Waxwings are everywhere in my Recommendations currently.

[@moistmonkey69]

They visit my yard in late summer bc of a fruit tree. Short flutters and flights from branch to branch to get the next ripe berry they see. The branches dont always support their weight so they improvise and flutter some more. This is in western Washington State

[@timsmith3621]

That really does look like melted wax on their wings. Great video!

[@elleninnes7757]

Beautiful

[@barbarabeguelin6023]

I had eight in a flock fly into my windows. They all died. I love birds and have lots of different spices in my yard. I didn't understand why they were flying in a flock. So sad to see them.

[@tigerguy1013]

I saw around 13 of them once in my backyard

[@ChaiLatte13]

I love these birds. Sadly I have only seen one once in my yard.

[@mattzx003]

One does not need to "attract" these birds. If you live in the Northern half of North America, you've likely already got them, and in good numbers, too. These are one of the first ticks of the day weather it be in my backyard, Presqu'ile, even out the windows of my school; they're there.

[@karenhalgeddes6807]

We have a large holly bush in our front yard. This year was a very cold, snowy Winter (southern B.C.) and they have just appeared in early June. A large flock of between 12 - 20 birds. Ate all the berries in 2 days and there was a lot of them. Beautiful birds.

[@am44_67]

One of these hit my window today, it was a hard thump and even left feathers on the glass, it was twitching a for a couple minutes then was just laying there in the sun, I slid it into a box and put it into the shade, 5 hours later and here I am, my daughter picked up the bird and opened both wings, neither appeared to be damaged, I’m no expert but the way one leg was tucked in and the other stuck out leads me to believe it has a broken leg, I placed the box in the garage with red berries and a small tray of water, I’ve read they can recover from a broken leg, is there anything else I can do to try and help this bird? These birds are absolutely beautiful

[@WhistlesToAnimals]

I'm sorry I am too late. Call your local DEC, call wildlife rehabbers. In my area, there is a wildlife hotline that connects you to folks that can help. Some vets will take them,cases them, then maybe give them to a rehabber. Benn through this with a little visitor of my own. Now you can help others with what I mentioned, or know what to do if you ever have to help again.

[@vitalic_drms]

two weeks from hatching to fledging is crazy. how many berries does that take

[@kingoflimbs1]

haha, I've heard of them doing that, and seen pictures in magazines. Lazy!

[@shelbehill6084]

I saw one today!

[@customer1998]

If I found one hurt in waynsville NC will it be ok if I released it the next day in Sylva,nc NC 2 towns away ?

[@adrienneczerni6516]

Yes

[@slywlf]

Thanks for the tips! and sorry it took so long to respond - I forget to check my youtube mail for months on end :-/

[@Andrewjm88]

Cedar Waxwings are one of the only birds in North America that eat exclusively fruit so I'd challenge you on your claim that they eat insects during the summer. Otherwise, great video!

[@mattzx003]

Yikes! *whether

[@kiannafranklyn3802]

i’m watching this because one hit my window today and hurt his wing. i tried to save him and put him in a warm open box, but he passed :(

[@WhistlesToAnimals]

I tape one window that I have with blue tape, that is how you prevent that. They also sell decorative adhesives.