Adult: The dorsal side is brown in color. Has wide black lore, with white stripes on the top and bottom of the lore. The bill is black. The belly is yellow and the undertail coverts are white. The primary coverts are tipped red. The tail feathers are black with reddish-orange tipping.
Immature: Like adult except for blurry streaking on the breast.
FOOD: Eats fruits, berries, and insects.
MATING SYSTEM: monogamous.
BREEDING SYSTEM:
Where Breeds: Breeds in woods, orchards, and a variety of other habitats (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Nest: The nest is found in a tree 5 ft. and upwards, out on a horizontal branch of a tree (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is a bulky cup made out of twigs, dry grasses, weed stems, and Usnea lichen (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is lined with wool, pine needles, rootlets, plant down, or fine grasses (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is built by both sexes in 5-7 days (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). A number of pairs nest near each other (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Breeding Season: The breeding season begins in early June (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). This species is double-brooded (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Eggs: There are 3-5 eggs laid in a clutch (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eggs are subelliptical to oval in shape and very pale blue or grayish-blue in background color (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eggs are speckled black and pale gray, which is concentrated at the larger end (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The average size of an egg is 22 X 16 mm (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Incubation: The incubation period lasts from 12-14 days and is done by the female (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Nestling: The young are born altricial and naked (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The mouth is bright red and the gape flanges are creamy-yellow in color of the young (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The young fledge from the nest after 16-18 days and are tended by both parents while in the nest (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eyes of the young open 7-8 days after hatching (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
MIGRATION STATUS IN WISCONSIN:
The cedar waxwing is a resident species.
REFERENCES:
Baicicich, P.J. and Harrison, C.J.O. 1997. A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, 2nd edition. Academic Press: San Diego.
Stokes, D.W. and Stokes, L.Q. 1996. Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region. Little, Brown and Co.: Boston.
