Calls
- Call
Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller
- High-pitched hissy whistle
Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller
Oregon September 1994
- Call, rapidly trilled whistle
Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller
Oregon June 1989
- Calls of flock
Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller
Texas May 1993
Courtesy of Macaulay Library
© Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Cedar Waxwings have two common calls: a high-pitched, trilled bzeee and a sighing whistle, about a half-second long, often rising in pitch at the beginning. Cedar Waxwings call often, especially in flight.
Backyard Tips
Cedar Waxwings love fruit. To attract waxwings to your yard, plant native trees and shrubs that bear small fruits, such as dogwood, serviceberry, cedar, juniper, hawthorn, and winterberry.
Find This Bird
Cedar Waxwings are often heard before they’re seen, so learn their high-pitched call notes. Look for them low in berry bushes, high in evergreens, or along rivers and over ponds. Be sure to check big flocks of small birds: waxwings are similar to starlings in size and shape, and often form big unruly flocks that grow, shrink, divide, and rejoin like starling flocks.
Get Involved
Cedar Waxwings are a focal bird species for the Celebrate Urban Birds! project. Conduct a 10-minute count and record whether or not you see waxwings.
Help track the nomadic movements of Cedar Waxwings by reporting your sightings to eBird
Learn how to find and monitor bird nests for NestWatch