Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Explore this bird

Identification

13 cm (5") Common. The most widespread chickadee across the continent. Deciduous and mixed forests, open woodlands, suburban areas, at feeders.

Gray and white with a black cap and bib and white face. Told from other chickadees by its gray back and buffy sides.

Active, acrobatic mite; it will hang upside down from twigs. Tame and friendly, it will come to the hand to be fed.

Song: clear whistled "fee-bee"; call is "chick-a-dee-dee-dee".

Details in the field

2 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Larry Bond

Where it lives

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 5 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

5 rules

Rule 1 11 criteria confidence 8

What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird) · Woodpecker or Tree-clinging bird

result:666-black-capped-chickadee:1:1 Source: 666 Black-Capped Chickadee, row 1

Rule 2 6 criteria confidence 8

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States

result:666-black-capped-chickadee:2:1 Source: 666 Black-Capped Chickadee, row 2

Rule 3 6 criteria confidence 8

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:666-black-capped-chickadee:3:1 Source: 666 Black-Capped Chickadee, row 3

Rule 4 6 criteria confidence 8

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:666-black-capped-chickadee:4:1 Source: 666 Black-Capped Chickadee, row 4

Rule 5 6 criteria confidence 8

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Foraging by hanging upside down
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:666-black-capped-chickadee:5:1 Source: 666 Black-Capped Chickadee, row 5