Mountain Chickadee

Poecile gambeli

Explore this bird

Identification

13 cm (5") Western North America. Mountain conifers and mixed woodlands.

Black cap and throat. White cheeks. Told from similar Black-capped Chickadee by a white eyebrow stripe; from Bridled Titmouse by its lack of crest.

Song: a clear whistled "fee-bee-bee" and a hoarse "chick-adee-adee-adee" call.

Details in the field

4 photos

Credit: Jamie Chavez

Watch and learn

1 video

DSLR Video: Mountain Chickadee

Credit: Chilling with Rod

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 3 rules

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

3 rules

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 5

What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: 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:669-mountain-chickadee:1:1 Source: 669 Mountain Chickadee, row 1

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 ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:669-mountain-chickadee:2:1 Source: 669 Mountain Chickadee, row 2

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 ?: Southwestern United States

result:669-mountain-chickadee:3:1 Source: 669 Mountain Chickadee, row 3