Cedar Waxwing

A sleek, social bird with a distinctive crest and silky plumage. The tail is short and square-tipped with a bright yellow (or occasionally orange) band. This feather captures that iconic terminal tip

Dull olive-grey base transitioning into a vibrant, terminal bright yellow band. The yellow is a carotenoid-based pigment derived from the bird's diet

Pennaceous at the distal (top) end with interlocking barbicels; plumulaceous (downy) at the proximal base for insulation

Smooth and silky in the colored section; soft, fluffy, and matte at the white downy base

Terminal yellow band on an olive-grey vane; unique silky texture; small size with a significant downy base

Open woodlands, orchards, suburban gardens, and riparian areas rich in berry-producing shrubs and trees

Breeds across southern Canada and northern US; winters throughout the US, Mexico, and Central America

Specialized frugivore; crucial for seed dispersal of many native berry-producing trees and shrubs

Bohemian Waxwing (larger, with white/yellow wing markings); various warblers (lack the specific grey-to-yellow tail transition and texture)

Cedar Waxwings can sometimes have orange tail tips instead of yellow if they eat the berries of non-native Morrow's Honeysuckle while their feathers are growing

Good condition; the yellow pigment is vivid, suggesting a relatively fresh molt with minimal sun bleaching