556 



MICHIGAN iUKl) LIFE. 



252. Cedar-bird. Bombycilla cedrorum \'icill. (619) 



Synonyms: Cedar Wiixvving, Carolina Waxwing, Connnon Waxwing, Cherry-bird. 

 — Anipclis cedrorum of most authors. — Ampelis amcricana, Wils., 1808. — Bombycilla 

 carolinensis, Steph., 1817. 



Figures 128, 129. 



The pointed crest and yellow-tipped tail, with the olive wings which show 

 no white, are characteristic of this bird at all ages and seasons. Adults 

 may or may not have red "sealing-wax" tips on the inner wing-feathers. 



Distribution. — North America at large, from the Fur Countries south- 

 ward. In winter from the northern border of the United States south to 

 the West Indies and Costa Rica. Bi-eeds from Virginia, the southern 

 Alleghanies, Kentucky, Kansas, etc. northward. 



The well known Cedar-l^ird or Cherry-bird is abundantly distributed 

 over the entire state, being most abundant in summer, but a few remaining 

 through the winter. 

 Even at Marquette, on 

 the south shore of Lake 

 Superior, it frequently 

 winters and in some 

 numbers. Apparently 

 the severity of the 

 winter has httle to do 

 with its residence, but 

 it is more frequently 

 seen during January and 

 February than during 

 December. Undoubt- 

 edly the great bulk of 

 the species moves south- 

 ward entirely out of the 

 state in the late fall and 

 returns again in earliest 

 spring, frequently in the 

 latter part of February 

 and always before the 

 end of March. At this 

 time it is oftenest seen 

 in flocks of twenty 

 to fifty individuals, 

 although b a n d s of 

 several hundred are by no means uncommon. A little later, in April and 

 early May, it often becomes quite scarce, but reappears in large numbers 

 during June when the small fruits begin to ripen. At this time it is still 

 in flocks, although some of the birds may be already nesting and it seldom 

 visits the cherry trees singly or in pairs, but usually in companies of ten to 

 thirty. 



It is erratic in its nesting, the greater part of the birds apparently nesting 

 in June and many of them again early in August, while nests are occasionally 

 found late in August or even in September. Dr. Gibbs states that nests 

 found_^'at Kalamazoo June 12 and 15, 1877 with four eggs each are about 



Fig. 128. Cedar-bird. 



From photograph of mounted specimen. 



(Original.) 



