These birds nest in the spruce belt of Canada and spend the winter in Southern United States with scattering records as far north as Iowa. The Western Ruby-crowned Kinglet is similar in appearance but has a slightly different song. It frequently nests as far south as New Mexico.
We look at you,
A tiny thing,
And marvel at
The way you sing.
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Waxwings are the nomads of the bird world; like gypsies, they come and go. Apparently they drift southward in the fall and northward in the spring, but have no regular migration. They range from Southern Canada to Central America but might leave when it frosts or stay thru the winter. Unlike some “Knights of the Road,” they present a neat appearance. In fact the soft, brownish-gray plumage, fading into lighter under parts, the slate-colored tail with the yellow tip, the jaunty crest, the black eye mask, the reddish spot on the wing, the sleek, streamlined stance—all mark him as an aristocrat.
Waxwings like companions and travel in flocks. Where you find one, you might find a dozen or more than one hundred. Whether feeding or resting, you will hear them conversing in a high-pitched, wheezy note which is difficult to describe. Some refer to it as a hiss, others as a whine.
When an ample supply of food is available, Cedar Waxwings gorge themselves until they seem rather listless. Various fruits and berries are relished, but insects and cankerworms are taken in season.