What is "cedar waxwing"

cedar waxwing \ce"dar wax"wing\, n. (Zo["o]l.) a species of chatterer ( Bombycilla cedrorum, formerly Ampelis cedrorum) widely distributed over temperate North America, so named from its frequenting cedar trees; -- called also cedar bird, cherry bird, Canada robin, and American waxwing. It is a brownish bird about 7 inches long, between the size of a robin and a sparrow, has a crest on the head, a black face mask, and a yellow-tipped tail. The name comes from the black color of the tips of the wings, like that of a black sealing wax. They sometimes are seen in flocks.

n. widely distributed over temperate North America [syn: cedarbird, Bombycilla cedrorun]

The cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is a member of the family Bombycillidae or waxwing family of passerine birds. It is a medium-sized, mostly brown, gray, and yellow bird named for its wax-like wing tips. It is a native of North and Central America, breeding in open wooded areas in southern Canada and wintering in the southern half of the United States, Central America, and the far northwest of South America. Its diet includes cedar cones, fruit, and insects. The cedar waxwing is not endangered.

The genus name Bombycilla comes from the Ancient Greek bombux, "silk" and the Modern Latin cilla, "tail"; this is a direct translation of the German Seidenschwanz, "silk-tail", and refers to the silky-soft plumage of these birds. The specific cedrorum is Latin for "of the cedars".