Cedar Waxwing
Photo: Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0

Waxwings

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

LCLeast Concern
Family
Waxwings (Bombycillidae)
Order
Passeriformes

Overview

The cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is a member of the family Bombycillidae or waxwing family of passerine birds. It is a medium-sized bird that is mainly brown, gray, and yellow. Some of the wing feathers have red tips, which resemble sealing wax, giving the bird its common name. It is a native of North and Central America, breeding in open wooded areas in southern Canada and wintering in the southern half of the United States, Central America, and the far northwest of South America.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Breeds North America; winters to northern South America and Greater Antilles.

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.