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NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



Habitat: Most of my observations have involved birds foraging et the edge 

 of deciduous forests or flocks in residential areas. The existence of vege- 

 tation that retains its fruit into the winter is important in maintaining this 

 waxwing. Among these plants mountain ash and flowering crab apple, 

 estabUshed as ornamentals in residential areas, are most important. 



Cedar Waxwing {Bomby cilia cedrorum) 



Status: Regular migrant, nesting species, and winter resident. 



Migration: Common to abundant spring and fall migrant throughout the 

 Valley. Determination of arrival dates is compounded by the irregular 

 nature of waxwing movements. During years when winter populations are 

 very low, the first noticeable influx of migrants occurs 1-20 May, reaching a 

 peak 1-15 June. When summer populations are low, fall movements occur 

 from mid- August through 30 November and peak abundance usually occurs 

 during late September. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Fairly common nesting species throughout the 

 Valley. Jackson (1943) reported that cedar waxwings were common through- 

 out most of northwestern Wisconsin during the 1919 nesting season. 

 Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that the largest population occurs in the 

 Central Plain and Northern Highland. Goddard (1972) reported a density of 

 9.7 pairs per 40 ha in the Kinnickinnic River Valley, Pierce County. 



Winter: Common to abundant winter resident in the Western Upland and 

 Central Plain, uncommon in the Northern Highland. Yearly winter popu- 

 lations are characterized by large fluctuations, probably related to the abun- 

 dance and availability of a food source. This species, like the Bohemian 

 waxwing, is closely associated with fruit-bearing trees during the winter. 



Habitat: Primarily a species of open or semi-open deciduous forest. Im- 

 portant among these habitats are openings in Southern Deciduous Forest. 

 Northern Hardwood Forest, and Deciduous Clear Cuts. Nesting cedar 

 waxwings also use, to a lesser extent, coniferous communities and orna- 

 mental shrubbery in residential areas. 



FAMILY LANIIDAE: Shrikes 



Northern Shrike [Lanius excubitor) 

 Status: Regular migrant and winter resident. 



Migration: Uncommon to rare migrant throughout the Valley. The first fall 

 migrants arrive in the Northern Highland 20-30 October, reaching the 

 Western Upland 1-15 November (earUest— 22 October 1976. St. Croix 

 County). This species is most frequently encountered 20 November to 

 10 January. During spring migration, peak numbers occur 1-15 March and 

 departure by 15 April (latest— 26 April 1953, Burnett County). 



