Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Credit: Eugene Beckes

North American field guide

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Poecile rufescens

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

12 cm (5") Western North America. Coniferous forests, deciduous woods.

Dark sooty-brown cap, black throat. White cheeks. Bright chestnut back and sides. However, birds in central California may have gray instead of chestnut sides.

Song: no whistled song like most chickadees; a hoarse rapid "tseek-a-dee-dee" call.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
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.

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee

3 rules
Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 4
What colour was the SIDE ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · 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) · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · 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
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:671-chestnut-backed-chickadee:1:1 Source: 671 Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, row 1
Rule 2 6 criteria confidence 4
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:671-chestnut-backed-chickadee:2:1 Source: 671 Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, row 2
Rule 3 6 criteria confidence 4
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:671-chestnut-backed-chickadee:3:1 Source: 671 Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, row 3