 Breeding evidence |
 Relative abundance |
 Probability of observation |
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Click on plot to view table of mean abundance
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Number of squares
Long-term BBS trends
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Mean abundance (number of birds detected per 5 min. point count) and percentage of squares occupied by region Bird Conservation Regions [abund. plot]
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Atlas Results
Cedar Waxwings were found throughout the province from the forests of the Cypress Hills to Hasbala Lake in the northeastern corner of the province. Mapping analysis highlights the area between the Moist Mixed Grassland and Mid-Boreal Upland and Lowland ecoregions as the core of their distribution in the province. In the Mixed Grassland and Cypress Upland, they were restricted to wooded coulees and well-treed yards and towns, especially along the South Saskatchewan River. In the north, Cedar Waxwings overlapped with Bohemian Waxwings in 15 atlas squares. A late nester, a Cedar Waxwing was observed building nests as early as 5 June and nestlings were found as late as 24 August.
Excerpts Adapted from the Birds of Saskatchewan:
Regarded as the "summer waxwing? by most Canadians, this gregarious species has traditionally been one of the latest summer residents to arrive and one of the last to leave the province. The Cedar Waxwing nests across central North America from southern Alaska to Newfoundland south to California and Georgia. Its winter range extends from extreme southern Canada to Costa Rica.
In grassland, this waxwing inhabits aspen groves, riparian woodland, and north-facing slopes of wooded coulees. For example, it is common in the Qu'Appelle Valley and along the South Saskatchewan River, and in the Cypress Hills and Moose Mountain. Natural nesting habitat in the north includes second-growth and forest edge, aspen parkland, and mixed woods of the southern boreal forest. Other habitats include farmsteads, urban yards, and parks. During the winter it frequents areas both natural and planted, as long as there is a supply of fruit.
The Cedar Waxwing is a common summer resident throughout the parklands, whereas in the boreal and subarctic regions [north to Stony Rapids] or in the grasslands it is, at best, uncommon (Smith 1996). Small and varying numbers now winter throughout the settled portions of the province.
Original text by Greg Fenty. Text adapted by Daniel J. Sawatzky
Read more about the Cedar Waxwing in the Birds of Saskatchewan here.
Recommended citation: Latremouille, L. M. 2025. Cedar Waxwing in Latremouille, L. M., S. L. Van Wilgenburg, C. B. Jardine, D. Lepage, A. R. Couturier, D. Evans, D. Iles, and K. L. Drake (eds.). 2025. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Saskatchewan, 2017-2021. Birds Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan https://sk.birdatlas.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=CEDW&lang=en [09 Nov 2025]
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