Cedar Waxwing: A late nester

 

An adult Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum), looking elegant. This one was part of a small flock at Magee Marsh in Lucas County, Ohio, yesterday. I was there looking for warblers and other neotropical migrant songbirds, and suave waxwings always catch my eye.

Here's a juvenile waxwing, which was part of the same group. It is easily told from an adult by its thick smudgy streaking, undeveloped crest, and general lack of coloration and overall brownish cast. There were a few juveniles in this assemblage of 8-10 birds.

The juveniles struck me as very young, so I wasn't overly surprised to see one being fed by an adult, even on this late date (September 29). Cedar Waxwing is among the latest routinely breeding songbirds in this region. Second broods are not too unusual in August and September. Unfortunately, this juvenile is being fed a nonnative Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) berry. Birds are the major dispersal agents for this invasive shrub, and I'd say that waxwings, American Robins, and European Starlings are the primary dispersers.