Cedar waxwings are songbirds of a social nature. They feed in flocks, choose their mates in flocks, and perform a captivating social display called the side hop. The side hop is a peculiar ritual performed in late winter atop a fence or tree limb. If you’re patient enough to watch, you’re guaranteed to be entertained.
A male picks a berry from a shrub or tree, hops to a female, and tries to pass it to her, beak to beak. If she’s interested in the male as a potential partner, she takes the berry. She then hops away from him, only to return and pass the berry back to him. The berry is passed back and forth until one of them finally swallows it. No other songbird is known to have this unusual behavior.
Cedar waxwings are also unusual for the bright red, wax-like substance found at the tips of their flight feathers. Biologists believe the wax indicates age or attracts the opposite sex. Birds younger than two years lack the wax or have very few red, waxy tips.
When you’re observing winter birds, watch for cedar waxwing flocks that flit from tree to tree. The side hop is an entertaining dance you won’t want to miss.
The Side Hopper
The cedar waxwing is one of the most interesting birds in our skies. All About Birds provides a few more interesting facts about this avian wonder.
- The cedar waxwing is one of the few North American birds that specializes in eating fruit. It can survive on fruit alone for several months
- Many birds that eat a lot of fruit separate out the seeds and regurgitate them, but the cedar waxwing lets them pass right through. Scientists have used this trait to estimate how fast waxwings can digest fruits.
- Building a nest takes a female cedar waxwing 5 to 6 days and may require more than 2,500 individual trips to the nest.
- 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.
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