When do waxwings leave South Dakota?

Cedar Waxwings never fully leave South Dakota: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of November, but some are still reported in every week, about 4.2% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see waxwings in South Dakota?

The Cedar Waxwing is reported most often in mid July, on about 13% of South Dakota checklists.

Cedar Waxwing · Bombycilla cedrorum

When Do Waxwings Arrive in South Dakota?

Photo: Sean Frey, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Cedar Waxwings are in South Dakota all year, but most are here in summer: numbers build from mid May, peak in mid July (13% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of November. In the quietest week (mid February) they are still on about 4.2% of checklists. They are the only regular waxwings in South Dakota.

When to look

Numbers buildMay 15-21mid May

PeakJul 15-21mid July

Fall back byNov 8-14the second week of November

FewestFeb 15-21mid February

Best: mid July. Here all year; numbers build from mid May and fall back by the second week of November. Peak: on about 13% of South Dakota checklists.

Jancommon
Febuncommon
Marcommon
Apruncommon
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Deccommon

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Waxwings in South Dakota, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Cedar Waxwing	May 15-21	May 15-21	Jul 15-21	Nov 8-14	13%

Cedar Waxwing

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in South Dakota that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in South Dakota

Best counties for Cedar Waxwing

Share of checklists at the peak

Gregory CountyBest early July · 11 checklists that week, 472 in all50%
Harding CountyBest late August · 14 checklists that week, 1,088 in all41%
Edmunds CountyBest early February · 11 checklists that week, 466 in all39%
Hughes CountyBest late August · 86 checklists that week, 3,765 in all36%
Union CountyBest mid October · 11 checklists that week, 882 in all33%
Clay CountyBest late November · 25 checklists that week, 2,633 in all30%

Common questions

When do waxwings arrive in South Dakota?: Cedar Waxwings are in South Dakota all year, but most are here in summer: numbers build from mid May, peak in mid July (13% of checklists), and fall back by the second week of November. In the quietest week (mid February) they are still on about 4.2% of checklists. They are the only regular waxwings in South Dakota.
When do waxwings leave South Dakota?: Cedar Waxwings never fully leave South Dakota: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by the second week of November, but some are still reported in every week, about 4.2% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see waxwings in South Dakota?: The Cedar Waxwing is reported most often in mid July, on about 13% of South Dakota checklists.