The Bohemian waxwing has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in northern regions of Eurasia and North America.
In Eurasia, its northern nesting limit is just short of the treeline, roughly at the 10 °C July isotherm, and it breeds south locally to about 51°N. Most birds breed between 60–67°N, reaching 70°N in Scandinavia.
The North American subspecies breeds in the northwestern and north central areas of the continent, its range extending southwards beyond the US border in the Rocky Mountains.

This waxwing is migratory with much of the breeding range abandoned as the birds move south for the winter.
Migration starts in September in the north of the range, a month or so later farther south.
Eurasian birds normally winter from eastern Britain through northern parts of western and central Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and northern China to Japan.
North American breeders have a more southeasterly trend, many birds wintering in southeast Canada, with smaller numbers in the north central and northeastern US states.
Birds do not usually return to the same wintering sites in successive years.
One bird wintering in the Ukraine was found 6,000 km (3,700 mi) to the east in Siberia in the following year.

In some years, this waxwing irrupts south of its normal wintering areas, sometimes in huge numbers.
The fruit on which the birds depend in winter varies in abundance from year to year, and in poor years, particularly those following a good crop the previous year, the flocks move farther south until they reach adequate supplies.
They will stay until the food runs out and move on again.
In what may be the largest ever irruption in Europe, in the winter of 2004–2005, more than half a million waxwings were recorded in Germany alone.
This invasion followed an unusually warm, dry breeding season.
In 1908, an American flock 60–90 m (200–300 ft) wide was noted as taking two to three minutes to fly over.

The breeding habitat is mature conifers, often spruce although other conifers and broadleaf trees may also be present.
More open, wet areas such as lakes and peat swamps with dead and drowned trees are used for feeding on insects.
Lowlands, valleys and uplands are used in Eurasia, although mountains tend to be avoided.
However, the North American subspecies nests in Canada at altitudes between 900–1,550 m (2,950–5,090 ft).
Outside the breeding season, the waxwing will occupy a wide range of habitats as long as suitable fruits such as rowan are available.
It may be found by roads, in parks and gardens or along hedges or woodlands edges.
It shows little fear of humans at this time.
In winter, waxwings roost communally in dense trees or hedges, sometimes with American robins, fieldfares or other wintering species.
The Bohemian waxwing has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in northern regions of Eurasia and North America. In Eurasia, its northern nesting limit is just short of the treeline, roughly at the 10 °C July isotherm, and it breeds south locally to about 51°N. Most birds breed between 60–67°N, reaching 70°N in Scandinavia. The North American subspecies breeds in the northwestern and north central areas of the continent, its range extending southwards beyond the US border in the Rocky Mountains.
This waxwing is migratory with much of the breeding range abandoned as the birds move south for the winter. Migration starts in September in the north of the range, a month or so later farther south. Eurasian birds normally winter from eastern Britain through northern parts of western and central Europe, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and northern China to Japan. North American breeders have a more southeasterly trend, many birds wintering in southeast Canada, with smaller numbers in the north central and northeastern US states. Birds do not usually return to the same wintering sites in successive years. One bird wintering in the Ukraine was found 6,000 km (3,700 mi) to the east in Siberia in the following year.
In some years, this waxwing irrupts south of its normal wintering areas, sometimes in huge numbers. The fruit on which the birds depend in winter varies in abundance from year to year, and in poor years, particularly those following a good crop the previous year, the flocks move farther south until they reach adequate supplies. They will stay until the food runs out and move on again. In what may be the largest ever irruption in Europe, in the winter of 2004–2005, more than half a million waxwings were recorded in Germany alone. This invasion followed an unusually warm, dry breeding season. In 1908, an American flock 60–90 m (200–300 ft) wide was noted as taking two to three minutes to fly over.
The breeding habitat is mature conifers, often spruce although other conifers and broadleaf trees may also be present. More open, wet areas such as lakes and peat swamps with dead and drowned trees are used for feeding on insects. Lowlands, valleys and uplands are used in Eurasia, although mountains tend to be avoided. However, the North American subspecies nests in Canada at altitudes between 900–1,550 m (2,950–5,090 ft). Outside the breeding season, the waxwing will occupy a wide range of habitats as long as suitable fruits such as rowan are available. It may be found by roads, in parks and gardens or along hedges or woodlands edges. It shows little fear of humans at this time. In winter, waxwings roost communally in dense trees or hedges, sometimes with American robins, fieldfares or other wintering species.
Bohemian waxwing