The Cedar Waxwing is a familiar bird that nests in open woodlands and shrubby old fields across all Canadian provinces, as well as the southern edge of the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Results from the Breeding Bird Survey indicate an overall moderate increase in abundance since about 1970. Cedar Waxwings have benefited from human activities through increased fruit availability (Witmer et al. 2014).
The Cedar Waxwing is a nomadic frugivorous bird. As such, the species may benefit from an increase in fruiting trees and shrubs due to increased planting in suburban and agricultural areas, and succession of agricultural lands to forests (Witmer et al. 2014). However, because of its diet heavily reliant on fruit and insects, the species is thought to be particularly vulnerable to pesticides, which may be heavily applied to orchards. Collisions with vehicles and windows may also be elevated due to the location of fruiting trees and shrubs near houses and along roadways (Witmer et al. 2014).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
