CEDAR WAXWING 83 



O. M. Bryens (1925) points out the cedar waxwing's preference 

 for wool as nesting material : 



The material composing the nests of the Cedar Waswing (Bombycilla ced- 

 rorum) in this locality [Michigan] consists chiefly of wool and moss. Their 

 nests also contain a considerable amount of small twigs, and if they are near 

 hemlocks, they are largely of the twigs of that tree. One hemlock tree in par- 

 ticular that I saw Cedar Waxwings getting twigs from one summer, stands 

 nearly on top of a hill, and was nearly killed by fire. Many of the lower 

 branches had died, and thus there was a lai'ge amount of twigs. Cedar Wax- 

 wings were observed coming to this tree for twigs and returning to the nests, 

 just as birds come and go from a drinking fountain. 



Before there were sheep on the grounds where these observations were made, 

 the Cedar Waxwings used the moss that hangs in rather long strings, and is 

 found especially on tamarack, balsam, fir, and other conifers, but also on maple 

 and birch. After sheep were present the moss was found to be used very little 

 in the construction of the nests. Much wool was available from the barbed 

 wire fences and some from low bushes. On the lane fences the three lower wires 

 held wool that sheep had lost when reaching through the fences, and it was 

 no uncommon sight to see Cedar Waxwings along the fences gathering this 

 material during the nesting season. Tlie past two years the grounds have not 

 been pastured to sheep, and thus there has been no wool, and I find that the 

 waxwings are again using the moss in their nests. Thus it appears that wool 

 is the substance that will be used if the birds can secure it. The nests are 

 at times lined with short stems, such as those that bear the seeds of the maple. 



Mary B. Benson (1920) relates her experience in supplying twine 

 and strips of cloth for the cedarbirds' use. 



[I] began putting out string, as usual hanging it upon a clothes line on 

 the back porch. Within half an hour the Waxwings spied it and began carry- 

 ing it to the apple tree. They made no efforts to collect twigs or any other 

 nesting material. * * * 



My supply of twine threatening to become exhausted, I began tearing old 

 cloth into strips about one-half an inch wide and from five to twelve inches in 

 length. This, the birds liked even better; and they at once redoubled their 

 efforts. How fast they worked, and what yards of cloth they used. * * * 



I experimented with colors, and although they apparently preferred white, 

 they did use several strips of bright pink outing fiannel when the supply of 

 white cloth was low. * * * 



We called it [the nest] "The Waxwing's Rag Bag". 



Edward R. Ford writes to Mr. Bent of the "habit of the cedar 

 waxwing of taking material from active nests of other species of birds 

 for use in its own nest." "On three occasions," he says, "I have 

 seen it take bits from kingbirds' nests ; in two instances the nests were 

 abandoned by the owners (in one case the structure was rendered so 

 flimsy as to allow the eggs to fall to the ground) ; the third nest, how- 

 ever, did not suffer so much, and the kingbirds did not desert it. I 

 have also observed cedarbirds taking material from the nest of a 

 yellow-throated vireo." 



The height of the nest above ground varies considerably. Thomas 

 D. Burleigh (1925) describes one in Georgia "forty-five feet from the 



