THE CEDAR WAXWING OR CEDAR-BIRD 



Called Locally the "Cherry Bird'* 

 Waxwing Family or Bombycillidcs 



Length: A little over 7 inches. 



General Appearance: A grayish-brown bird, with a decided 

 crest and a yellow band at end of tail. Plump and 

 well-fed in appearance. 



Male and Female: A beautiful, rich grayish-brown with a soft 

 yellow breast. Head conspicuously crested; fore- 

 head glossy black; a black line above the bill is ex- 

 tended toward the top of the head, outlining the 

 crest; crest elevated and lowered to express surprise, 

 contentment, fear and other emotions; bill and chin 

 black; throat blackish. Wings brown, becoming a 

 soft gray; wing-feathers with small red tips that look 

 like bits of sealing-wax — hence the name, Waxwing. 

 Tail light gray, shading to a dark grey, rounded, fan- 

 shaped in flight, and edged with a broad yellow 

 band. 



Young: Grayish-brown, streaked, and without red tips to their 

 wings. 



Note: A gentle lisping tseep, tseep, monotonous and uninter- 

 esting. Mr. Forbush says of the waxwing, "It moves 

 about in silence, save as it utters a lisping 'beading' 

 note or a 'hushed whistle.' " 



Habitat: During the nesting season, devoted pairs may be seen 

 in orchards, in red cedars, or in shrubbery by road- 

 sides, preferably near trees or bushes laden with 

 berries. The birds are rovers, usually flying in 

 large flocks. 



Range: North America. Breeds from south-central Canada to 

 southern Oregon, northern New Mexico, Kansas, 



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