Black-capped Chickadee | Audubon Field Guide

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Open Search Bird GuideChickadees and TitmiceBlack-capped Chickadee Listen 6 Black-capped Chickadee Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus At a Glance Range & Identification Behavior Conservation Explore More Back to Top

At a Glance

Little flocks of Black-capped Chickadees enliven the winter woods with their active behavior and their cheery-sounding chick-a-dee callnotes as they fly from tree to tree, often accompanied by an assortment of nuthatches, creepers, kinglets, and other birds. This is a very popular bird across the northern United States and southern Canada, always welcomed at bird feeders, where it may take sunflower seeds one at time and fly away to stuff them into bark crevices. All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Category Chickadees and Titmice, Perching Birds IUCN Status Least Concern Habitat Forests and Woodlands, Freshwater Wetlands, High Mountains, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Tundra and Boreal Habitats, Urban and Suburban Habitats Region Alaska and The North, California, Eastern Canada, Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, Northwest, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Southwest, Western Canada Behavior Flitter, Rapid Wingbeats, Undulating Population 43.000.000

Range & Identification

Migration & Range Maps

Mostly a permanent resident, but occasionally stages "invasions" in fall, with large numbers seen flying southward (mostly in northeastern states and southeastern Canada). These invasions usually do not penetrate much beyond southern limit of breeding range.

Description

Sexes similar — Length: 5–6 in (12–15 cm); wingspan: 6–8 in (15–20 cm); weight: 0.3–0.5 oz (9–14 g). The Black-capped Chickadee is a small and lively bird, characterized by a black cap and bib, a gray back, and a buff wash on its sides. Almost identical to the Carolina Chickadee, it is best identified by its range; also see other chickadees. The male House Sparrow is sometimes misidentified as a chickadee. Size About the size of a Sparrow Color Black, Gray, Tan, White Wing Shape Rounded Tail Shape Notched, Rounded, Square-tipped

Songs and Calls

A buzzy chick-a-dee-dee-dee or a clear, whistled fee-bee, the second note lower and often doubled. In overlap zone with Carolina Chickadee song may not be helpful for identification as each species can learn the wrong song. Call Pattern Falling Call Type Buzz, Chirp/Chip, Trill, Whistle

Habitat

Mixed and deciduous woods; willow thickets, groves, shade trees. The Black-capped Chickadee is most common in open woods and forest edge, especially where birches or alders grow; avoids purely coniferous forest. Where it overlaps with other chickadee species in the north and west, the Black-capped Chickadee is mostly restricted to deciduous groves. Will live in the suburbs as long as nest sites are available. Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Black-capped Chickadee Email Zip Phone (optional) By submitting my mobile number I agree to receive periodic text messages from Audubon at 42248 about how I can help birds. Reply STOP to any message to unsubscribe. Message & data rates may apply. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Behavior

Eggs

Usually 6-8, sometimes more or fewer. White, with fine dots of reddish brown often concentrated around larger end. Incubation is by female only, 12-13 days. Female covers eggs with nest material when leaving nest. Male often brings food to female during incubation.

Young

Female remains with young most of time at first, while male brings food; later, both parents bring food. Young leave nest at about 16 days. Normally 1 brood per year.

Feeding Behavior

The Black-capped Chickadee forages mostly by hopping among twigs and branches and gleaning food from the surface, often hanging upside down to reach the underside of branches. Sometimes takes food while hovering, and may fly out to catch insects in mid-air. Readily comes to bird feeders for seeds or suet. Often stores food to be recovered later.

Diet

Mostly insects, seeds, and berries. The Black-capped Chickadee diet varies with season; vegetable matter (seeds and fruits) may be no more than 10 percent of the diet in summer, up to 50 percent in winter. The summer diet consists mainly of caterpillars and other insects, as well as some spiders, snails, and other invertebrates; it also includes berries. In winter, feeds on insects (especially their eggs and pupae), seeds, berries, and small fruits. Will eat the fat of dead animals.

Nesting

Pairs typically form in the fall and remain together as part of the winter flock. Flocks break up in late winter, and both members of a pair help defend the nesting territory. The male Black-capped Chickadee often feeds the female, beginning very early in spring. Nest site is in a hole in a tree, typically an enlargement of a small natural cavity in rotten wood, sometimes an old woodpecker hole or nesting box; usually 5-20 ft above the ground. In a natural cavity, both sexes contribute to excavating or enlarging the interior. Nest (built by female) has a foundation of moss or other matter, a lining of softer material such as animal hair.

Conservation

Conservation Status

The Black-capped Chickadee is a widespread and common species, with numbers apparently stable, possibly increasing in some areas. Change in Abundance Over Time Drawing on more than a century of community science from the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), this chart shows how this species’ relative abundance has shifted in recent decades. Explore more and get involved in the CBC.

Climate Map

Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect the range of the Black-capped Chickadee. Learn even more in Audubon’s Survival By Degrees project.

Climate Threats Facing the Black-capped Chickadee

Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.

Explore More

Murals, Art, and Culture

Artists throughout history and across the U.S. have captured this bird in murals, books, and museum hangings. See what they’ve done: ¡Atención!

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