Credit: Lesley Earle
North American field guide
Boreal Chickadee
Poecile hudsonicus
Explore this bird
Identification
Field notes
13-15 cm (5-6") Common in northern sub-arctic coniferous forests, northern bogs.
Gray-brown upperparts. Dull brown cap. Small white cheeks. Whitish below. Black throat. Bright brown sides.
Rather shy but comes to feeders for sunflower seeds and suet.
Song: a nasal and hoarse "chichee-day-day" call unlike the clearly whistled call of the Black-capped Chickadee.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Credit: Julio Mulero
Credit: Larry Bond
Credit: Daniel Arndt
Credit: Daniel Arndt
Credit: David Mitchell
Credit: David Mitchell
Watch and learn
Videos
Boreal Chickadee in the Maine Boreal Forest
Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy ProductionsWhere it lives
Distribution maps
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 · 3 rules
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Boreal Chickadee
3 rulesRule 1 12 criteria · confidence 7
- What colour was the SIDE ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- 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) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
Rule 2 6 criteria · confidence 5
- 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
Rule 3 6 criteria · confidence 5
- 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