{"id":116882,"date":"2023-10-10T05:21:30","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T11:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=116882"},"modified":"2023-10-10T05:25:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T11:25:15","slug":"molting-immature-cedar-waxwing-in-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/10\/molting-immature-cedar-waxwing-in-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"Molting Immature Cedar Waxwing In Fall"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was tickled to photograph a molting immature Cedar Waxwing yesterday morning high in the Wasatch Mountains. The forest setting was quite messy.<\/p>\n

\"MoltingMolting immature Cedar Waxwing \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 800,\u00a0 Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a plumage phase I hadn’t photographed before in this species. The young waxwing is in the midst of molting. She or he is losing the brownish streaks on her or his breast and belly.<\/p>\n

\"FallFall immature Cedar Waxwing molting \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 800,\u00a0 Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The brownish streaks on the pale background are being replaced by brown feathers on their upper chest and yellowish feathers towards the lower belly.<\/p>\n

\"MoltingMolting young Cedar Waxwing in the Wasatch Mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 800,\u00a0 Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The immature Cedar Waxwing’s mask is getting thicker plus the feathers under her or his bill are darker than they were when she or he fledged from the nest.<\/p>\n

She or he is going through a teenage plumage phase in this molt, which I found fascinating.<\/p>\n

Comparing Cedar Waxwings at different ages:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To compare to a younger Cedar Waxwing I present this photo that I have shared before:<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Cedar Waxwing after eating \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Note the streaky breast and belly along incomplete crest and mask.<\/p>\n

And to compare to an adult Cedar Waxwing<\/span><\/a> I am sharing this image from 2022:<\/p>\n

\"CedarCedar Waxwing on a Chokecherry perch \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Note the complete crest and mask and the lack of streaking on the breast and belly.<\/p>\n

In conclusion, despite the messy setting, I wanted to share these photos because I thought the appearance of this immature Cedar Waxwing in molt was interesting. I also thought there might be some people who may have never seen this stage in a young Cedar Waxwing’s life up close before.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Cedar Waxwing photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was tickled to photograph a molting immature Cedar Waxwing yesterday morning high in the Wasatch Mountains. The forest setting was quite messy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":116879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,4597,4594,26,773],"tags":[970,4599,6577,3940,4598,4620,4067,2312,2313,4069,4104,1053,14437,5916,4193],"class_list":["post-116882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-cedar-waxwings","category-morgan-county","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-autumn","tag-bombycilla-cedrorum","tag-branches","tag-canyon","tag-cedar-waxwing","tag-fall","tag-immature","tag-molt","tag-molting","tag-mountains","tag-perched","tag-plumage","tag-wawings","tag-waxwing","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/cedar-waxwing-immature-molting-mia-mcpherson-2809.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-upc","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":54320,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/09\/27\/immature-cedar-waxwing-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":116882,"position":0},"title":"Immature Cedar Waxwing in the Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been trying for over a month to get decent images of fledgling and juvenile Cedar Waxwings and hadn't succeeded but yesterday I was able to take a photograph of an immature waxwing that I actually like.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Cedar Waxwing, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8702.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8702.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8702.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8702.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104643,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/31\/young-cedar-waxwing-photos-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":116882,"position":1},"title":"Young Cedar Waxwing Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I found this young Cedar Waxwing in the remnants of a small aspen forest two days ago while I watched for other birds to come in to feed on ripe serviceberries.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Cedar Waxwing giving me the eye, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9164.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9164.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9164.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9164.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":73233,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/27\/adult-and-immature-cedar-waxwings-high-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":116882,"position":2},"title":"Adult And Immature Cedar Waxwings High In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"On August 10th I drove into the mountains for a quiet, relaxing morning and came away with quite a few bird photos I have yet to process.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Cedar Waxwing lifting off towards the sky, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-9455.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-9455.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-9455.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-9455.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":93083,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/08\/08\/young-cedar-waxwing-with-a-crane-fly-leg-problem\/","url_meta":{"origin":116882,"position":3},"title":"Young Cedar Waxwing With A Crane Fly Leg Problem","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This young Cedar Waxwing may look like it is yawning, calling, or begging for food because of its wide open bill.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Cedar Waxwing with a wide open bill, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-bill-open-mia-mcpherson-8026.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-bill-open-mia-mcpherson-8026.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-bill-open-mia-mcpherson-8026.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-juvenile-bill-open-mia-mcpherson-8026.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72595,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/10\/young-cedar-waxwing-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":116882,"position":4},"title":"Young Cedar Waxwing Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I was excited when I found this young Cedar Waxwing out in the open and within the range of my lens right after it caught a crane fly to eat for breakfast.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Cedar Waxwing eating a crane fly, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8005.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8005.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8005.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-immature-mia-mcpherson-8005.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72670,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/14\/adult-cedar-waxwing-resting-in-a-stand-of-hawthorns\/","url_meta":{"origin":116882,"position":5},"title":"Adult Cedar Waxwing Resting In A Stand Of Hawthorns","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Stopping to eat my muffins at this location was a great idea because this week on three trips to this spot I've photographed more than just Cedar Waxwings at this location.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cedar Waxwing adult resting in a stand of hawthorns, Wasatch Mountains, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-hawthorn-mia-mcpherson-0278.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-hawthorn-mia-mcpherson-0278.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-hawthorn-mia-mcpherson-0278.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/cedar-waxwing-adult-hawthorn-mia-mcpherson-0278.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116882\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}