Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)

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Black-capped Chickadee (Paridae: Parus atricapillus)

The Black-capped Chickadee is among our favorite birds and is familiar to almost everyone living in the eastern part of North America. This "species" actually consists of two species; the Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus) in the north and the Carolina Chickadee (Parus carolinensis) in the south. The two are very difficult to tell apart. Both of the photographs on the left are of the Black-capped Chickadee. The Black-capped Chickadee lives in the northern part of the Eastern Deciduous Forest, but extends northward into the Boreal Forest and westward across the northern half of the United States and the southern half of Canada. The southern limit of its breeding range extends to northern Jersey in the east and westward. The Carolina Chickadee is a species of the southeastern United States from central New Jersey south to northern Florida.

Identifying Features: Both chickadees are easily identified by their gray color, the black cap on the head and black patch on the neck, and the white breast tinged with yellow or light rusty brown.

Similar Species: These two species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest are most easily separated by range; the Black-capped Chickadee in the north half of the Eastern Deciduous Forest and the Carolina Chickadee in the south. The ranges of the two species do not overlap much in the summer, but in the winter some Black-capped Chickadees will be found south of their breeding range into southern New Jersey and Maryland. The Black-capped Chickadee is a larger bird and is 5 to 6 inches in length. The Carolina Chickadee is a smaller bird 4 to 5 inches in length. The two species are easy to separate if they stand next to each other. Unfortunately they rarely do. The feathers of the folded wing of the Carolina Chickadee usually show less white edging than those of the Black-capped Chickadee. The lower edge of the black neck bib is more sharply defined in the Carolina Chickadee. The call of the Carolina Chickadee is similar to that of the Black-capped Chickadee, but higher in pitch.

Habitat: The Black-capped Chickadee occurs in deciduous woods and in the transition regions of the Eastern Deciduous forests and the southern Boreal Forest. Black-capped Chickadees are very common in suburban areas as well.

Food: Black-capped Chickadees feed primarily on insects and insect eggs in the summer, although they eat seeds as well. In the winter they feed mostly on seeds are are among the commonest birds at bird feeders.

Behavior. The Black-capped Chickadee has a distinctive "chickadee-dee-dee-dee" call. The species in the winter forms large flocks mixed with other birds making the rounds of the bird feeders. Black-capped Chickadees are bold birds and sometimes can be taught to feed from your hand.

Reproduction: The nest is a cup of grass, feathers, moss, and other soft materials. There are usually from 6 to 8 brown-speckled eggs. The nest is placed in a hole in a rotten tree stump. Chickadees also use bird boxes.

Notes: We are among those unfortunate people who live in the part of the country (Maryland) where the two species overlap in winter. Both species come to our bird feeder and we suffer through a great deal of anxiety trying to tell the two species apart. Yes, we know the characters, but the birds rarely stand still long enough to see them.