Quick Answer
Cedar waxwings do visit bird feeders, especially in winter when food is scarce. They are attracted to fruit and berry producing feeders and will occasionally eat sugary foods. Cedar waxwings are social, nomadic birds that travel and forage in large flocks. Providing food and water can encourage them to visit your yard.
Do Cedar Waxwings Eat From Bird Feeders?
Cedar waxwings are primarily fruit and berry eating birds. They enjoy eating:
- Fruits – apples, cherries, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, etc.
- Berries – blueberries, chokecherries, dogwood, elderberries, juniper, mountain ash, serviceberries, strawberries, etc.
- Insects – flying insects especially in summer
- Sugary foods – sap, nectar, sugar water
While not typical feeder birds, they will occasionally visit bird feeders, especially fruit and jelly feeders, and sugar water feeders like hummingbird feeders.
Fruit and Jelly Feeders
Cedar waxwings are especially attracted to feeders that provide fruit and jelly, including:
- Fruit halves nailed to a tree or platform
- Dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, etc.
- Fruit skewers with grapes, apple chunks, etc.
- Orange halves filled with jelly/jam
- Platform feeders with jelly or cut fruit
They will perch on or hover near the fruit while plucking pieces with their beaks.
Sugar Water Feeders
Cedar waxwings have a high sugar diet and will occasionally visit hummingbird feeders or other nectar feeders containing:
- Sugar water – 1 part sugar 4 parts water ratio
- Artificial nectar mixes
- Orifice feeders with sugary liquid
They are not frequent visitors though and prefer fruit/jelly feeders. Ongoing sugar water and nectar availability may encourage more frequent visits.
Seed Feeders
While cedar waxwings primarily eat fruits and insects, they may occasionally sample seeds at feeders including:
- Black oil sunflower seeds
- Nyjer thistle
- Suet feeders with fruit/nut mixtures
However, fruit/jelly and sugar water feeders are much more likely to attract them than traditional seed feeders. Having both available provides options.
Best Practices For Attracting Cedar Waxwings
Here are some tips to encourage cedar waxwings to visit your yard and feeders:
- Provide fruit bearing trees, bushes and plants like crabapples, hawthorns, pyracantha, etc. Plant things that produce fruit in different seasons.
- Supply jelly and fruit feeders from late fall through early spring when food is scarce.
- Offer sugary liquid feeders year round.
- Include tall perching spots near feeders such as trees, posts or trellises since they feed while perching.
- Use decoys like fake waxwings to show birds that feeders are safe to use.
- Provide a water source like a birdbath, mister, or fountain for drinking and bathing.
- Limit pesticide use which reduces insects that waxwings feed on.
The most effective strategy is providing natural food sources, fruit feeders and sugar water feeders. This gives them plenty of attractive options.
When Do Cedar Waxwings Visit Feeders?
Cedar waxwings are nomadic, social birds that travel in large flocks of up to hundreds to thousands of birds. They go where the food is and migration is difficult to predict. However, some general patterns exist:
Winter
Cedar waxwing activity at feeders increases in winter for several reasons:
- Natural food like fruit is scarce so they seek out alternate food sources.
- They migrate south and can turn up anywhere.
- Flocks band together in big groups to forage.
- They appreciate sugar sources to give energy in cold weather.
Winter is when they are most likely to show up at your feeders seeking high energy foods.
Spring and Summer
Cedar waxwing feeder visits decline in spring and summer when:
- Natural fruit, berries, and insects become abundant.
- They disperse farther north to breed and nest.
- Nesting pairs are busy caring for young rather than flocking.
- Migration is harder to predict as they go where food is.
However, they may stop at feeders during migration or wanderings, especially fruit feeders.
Fall
Cedar waxwing activity at feeders picks up again in fall as a result of:
- Migrating south in flocks from northern nesting areas.
- Fruit becoming more scarce as winter approaches.
- Flocks joining up to migrate and forage.
Fall migration brings the return of waxwings seeking food to fuel up. Fall and winter are peak feeder visiting times.
Conclusion
While not the most common feeder birds, cedar waxwings do visit them, especially fruit feeders and sugar sources in winter. Their nomadic nature makes predicting their presence difficult. But offering enticing foods, water and perches raises the odds they’ll stop by your yard during their wanderings. With their sociable nature and hungry flocks, seeing cedar waxwings at your feeders can be a delightful winter treat.