Cedar waxwings are medium-sized songbirds that breed across North America. They are highly social, forming large flocks that constantly stay in touch with soft high whistles as they forage. With their sleek brown plumage, decorative red wax-like tips on their secondary feathers, and striking yellow-tipped tail, these sociable birds are appealing to watch. Cedar waxwings are considered short-distance migrants, moving south in winter from their breeding range in Canada and the northern United States. But are cedar waxwings found in Colorado?
Range and Migration Patterns
Cedar waxwings breed primarily across Canada and the northern half of the United States. Their breeding range extends as far north as Alaska and as far south as North Carolina. In winter, they withdraw from the northern parts of their range and move southward. Some populations may migrate as far south as Panama.
Colorado sits right within the typical breeding range for cedar waxwings. It also represents the wintering grounds for some waxwing populations that breed further north. Cedar waxwings are present year-round in Colorado but their abundance changes seasonally as northern birds move in and out of the state.
Peak numbers are reached in Colorado during winter from December to February when migratory flocks arrive from the north. These winter flocks often number in the hundreds of birds. Come spring, some waxwings may remain to nest in Colorado through the summer months while others head back north. By July and August, their numbers are lowest again in the state.
So in summary, cedar waxwings can readily be found in Colorado year-round. But they are most abundant and widespread during the winter months when northern populations join the state’s resident breeders. The waxwing’s presence fluctuates throughout the seasons as migratory patterns shift.
Habitats in Colorado
In Colorado, cedar waxwings inhabit a variety of wooded environments below 9,000 feet in elevation. They prefer areas with fruit-bearing trees and shrubs since fruit makes up the bulk of their diet. Some key habitats include:
– Riparian woodlands along rivers and streams
– Urban parks and residential areas with fruit trees
– Open montane woodlands dominated by pines, junipers, aspens or oaks
– Orchards and berry farms
Waxwings rely on trees like junipers, cedars, and fruiting saplings to provide their namesake wax-like tips. They get these red appendages from berries like juniper and cedar.
Within these habitats, waxwings often alternate between two key food sources:
– Fruit – including cherries, serviceberries, strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, and more
– Insects – especially winged insects like cicadas, dragonflies, beetles and moths
This combination diet gives cedar waxwings flexibility across seasons. In warmer months they can rely more on fruit while switching to more insects in winter when fewer fruits are available.
Identification
Cedar waxwings are elegant-looking birds between 6-7 inches in length and weighing roughly 30 grams. Distinctive field marks include:
– Brown plumage that is soft, silky, and often described as crestless. The head can appear flattened from certain angles.
– A black mask that runs through the eyes and extends slightly behind the head. The mask is finely bordered with white.
– Yellow banding on the tip of the tail. This yellow marking is often visible while the birds are perched.
– Red, wax-like tips on some of the secondary covert feathers. Adults have more extensive wax tips than juveniles.
– White undertail coverts that contrast against the otherwise brown underparts.
– Yellow belly on adults transitioning to more grayish underparts on juveniles.
Cedar waxwings are quiet birds but they do produce high-pitched whistles to communicate. Flocks stay closely connected with constant whistling and twittering calls.
Since cedar waxwings occur in flocks and share their habitat with other birds, it helps to pay attention to their unique profile and markings when identifying them. Their silky plumage, sleek crested heads, and decorative red tips make waxwings one of the most aesthetically appealing North American songbirds.
Seasonal Behaviors
Through the seasons, cedar waxwings exhibit some key behaviors tied to breeding, migration, and dietary needs:
Spring
– Form pairs and initiate breeding activities
– Construct cup-like nests in the forks of branches high up in trees
– Nesting period ranges from May to late July
– Produce clutches of 3-6 eggs that incubate for 11-15 days
– Hatchlings fledge the nest around 14-18 days after hatching
Summer
– Focus on raising young and making short movements to find food
– Favor berry-producing trees and shrubs like serviceberries and chokecherries
– Also hawk flying insects like cicadas and dragonflies
– Form large post-breeding flocks after young fledge, sometimes mixing with other species like robins
Fall
– Migrate south in October and November from northern parts of breeding range
– Travel in flocks seeking ripening fruit sources like crabapples, mountain ash, hawthorn, and juniper
– Also eat insects including beetles, true bugs, and winged adults
Winter
– Spend winter in southern Canada and throughout the United States
– Flock together, often numbering 100+ birds
– Favor fruiting trees including hackberry, bayberry, and mistletoe
– May also visit bird feeders with fruit offerings
Interesting Facts
Beyond their identifiable profile, cedar waxwings exhibit some interesting traits and behaviors worth knowing:
– Highly gregarious, often traveling in flocks of 50+ individuals who stay in constant vocal contact
– Their nomadic movements are tied to tracking fruit sources
– Can consume fruit rapidly, sometimes emptying trees or bushes of all fruit in a short period
– Known for passerine bird version of sunbathing – perching with wings spread to expose skin to the sun
– Prone to becoming intoxicated due to eating overripe fruit and its fermenting sugars
– Named for red wax-like tips that form from pigments in fruit, not actual wax
– One of the latest birds to nest in summer, typically not until July
– Nestlings hatch with sparse tufts of gray downy feathers
– Sexes appear identical. Juveniles have moremuted colors and less distinct marks.
Conservation Status
Cedar waxwings are common and the overall population is considered stable. They even expanded their breeding range northward during the 20th century as new habitats opened up. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 15 million with 79% living in the U.S. and Canada. They are not on the State of North America’s Birds Watch List or considered a species of greatest conservation need. Their adaptability helps them persist despite some threats:
– Nest parasitism from brown-headed cowbirds
– Collisions with human structures during migrations
– Fruit crop fluctuations and epidemics like apple scab fungus
– Pesticide poisoning from eating tainted insects or fruit
But waxwings are mobile enough to abandon areas of low food abundance and have benefited from new habitats like orchards and backyard fruit plantings. Continued conservation of diverse fruiting trees and reducing pesticide threats will help provide the resources these highly mobile birds need.
Where to See Cedar Waxwings in Colorado
Cedar waxwings are widespread across Colorado during the winter months and into the breeding season. Here are some top sites:
Montane Habitats
– Evergreen Lake – Ice skating pond lined with waxwing-favorite juniper trees
– Genesee Park – Mixed montane forests with serviceberry, chokecherry, and juniper
– Roxborough State Park – Riparian and oak woodlands with crabapples and junipers
Foothills and Mountain Valleys
– Chautauqua Park – Urban park with fruiting trees below the Flatirons
– Fort Collins River District – Poudre River cottonwood forests with berry sources
– Denver Botanic Gardens – Variety of fruiting trees like crabapples in an urban oasis
Eastern Plains
– Barr Lake State Park – Riparian habitat near Denver with waxwing food sources
– Lathrop State Park – Transition zone to plains with hackberry and other fruit trees
– Ridgway State Park – Fruiting shrubs along reservoir shores in western Colorado
When to See Cedar Waxwings in Colorado
Cedar waxwings can be found year-round in Colorado but they are most widespread and abundant from fall through spring:
– August to November – Migrating flocks arrive from farther north
– December to February – Overwintering waxwings are numerous throughout the state
– March and April – Some flocks begin returning northward
– May to July – Breeding birds are present but in smaller numbers
Fruit trees are a magnet for flocks anytime but winter is a great time to find them concentrated at good food sources. Places like Evergreen Lake and Chautauqua Park will have dozens visiting juniper and crabapple trees on colder winter days.
Finding and Attracting Cedar Waxwings
Follow these tips to find wandering waxwings in Colorado:
– Scan treetops for flocks making high-pitched whistles
– Follow the calls to track flock movements
– Look for sleek profiles huddling closely on branches
– Watch for tail-bobbing and wing-stretching behaviors
– Listen for insects and fruit hitting the ground below flocks
– Check fruiting trees like junipers, hackberry, and crabapples
– Try sites at forest edges or riparian corridors
– Use eBird to find hotspots and recent sightings
– Visit in winter when northern migrants join resident flocks
You can also try luring waxwings to your own property by providing fruit sources:
– Plant berry-producing native trees and shrubs
– Add ornamental trees like crabapples, mountain ash, or hawthorns
– Allow fruit trees like cherries or mulberries to overripen
– Offer cut fruit in platform feeders or smeared in small holes
– Include dried fruits like raisins, currants, and prunes
– Select chemical-free fruit varieties whenever possible
Diet and Foraging
Cedar waxwings have a diverse fruit-heavy diet supplemented with protein-rich insects. Their two major food sources are:
Fruit:
– Serviceberries
– Juniper berries
– Honeysuckle
– Mountain ash
– Hackberry
– Mulberries
– Chokecherries
– Blackberries
– Crabapples
– Strawberries
– Raspberries
– Hawthorns
– Blueberries
– Grapes
– cherry, etc
Insects:
– Cicadas
– Dragonflies
– Grasshoppers
– Caterpillars
– Beetles
– Flying ants
– Mayflies
– Butterflies/moths, etc
Waxwings forage primarily while perched rather than chasing prey. They will fly out from perches to snatch insects or pluck fruit, then return to eat. Their diet shifts seasonally – more insects in summer, more fruit in winter.
Foraging Behaviors
– Perch on bare branches scanning for food sources
– Fly out from perches to capture insects in flight
– Pluck berries and fruits directly from trees and shrubs while hovering
– Return to perches to eat prey items
– May occasionally catch insects on the ground
– Steal food from other waxwings via aerial pursuits
– Drink sap from wells excavated by sapsuckers
– Occasionally visited bird feeders with fruit
Threats and Mortality
The widespread and nomadic cedar waxwing is generally secure as a species. But they do face some key mortality factors:
– Nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds – Cowbirds lay eggs in waxwing nests, reducing nest productivity. Waxwings abandon about 15% of parasitized nests.
– Collisions with windows and towers – Their poor flight maneuverability makes waxwings prone to striking human structures during migrations. Windows, towers, and turbines all contribute to collision deaths.
– Pesticide poisoning – Waxwings are vulnerable to pesticides from eating chemically treated fruits and insects. They died in mass poisoning events linked to pesticide use in the past.
– Predation risks – Common predators of eggs, nestlings, and adults include accipiter hawks, corvids, snakes, and squirrels. But predation doesn’t make a major dent in populations.
– Extreme weather – Unusually cold spells combined with snow cover reduce winter fruit availability. Late cold snaps can also impact nesting.
– Disease – Salmonellosis outbreaks have emerged recently among waxwing flocks, likely tied to eating contaminated fruit.
Habitat loss is not currently a major factor since waxwings use diverse wooded habitats. As highly mobile birds, they can also quickly abandon areas with insufficient food. Their sociable flocking habits provide additional advantages against threats.
Takeaways on Cedar Waxwings in Colorado
– Cedar waxwings breed in northern Colorado but are present year-round, aided by an influx of northern migrants in winter.
– They favor open woodlands with fruiting trees and shrubs but also utilize urban habitats.
– Look for these sleek brown songbirds with decorative red tips congregating in flocks.
– fruits and insects are waxwing dietary staples based on seasonal availability.
– They aren’t a threatened species but do face risks like building collisions and pesticides.
– Planting native fruiting trees helps support waxwing flocks on the move through Colorado.
So keep an eye out for these striking nomads in treetops throughout the state. The high-pitched whistles of a waxwing flock are a sure sign these birds are nearby. With a little effort, Coloradans can get glimpses of these charismatic songbirds on their winter travels or breeding forays.
Conclusion
Cedar waxwings are fascinating birds perfectly adapted to track fruit sources across North America’s woodlands. Their unique appearance and behaviors make them a joy to observe, especially against winter backdrops in Colorado. Waxwings follow complex annual migration routes but can reliably be found across our state during colder months. Learning to recognize these sleek nomads by sight and sound unlocks opportunities to admire one of nature’s most striking avian designs. For birders and nature lovers alike, the cedar waxwing is arewarding window into the remarkable diversity of our avifauna.