Bird Food Preferences

Black-oil sunflower, suet, and sunflower hearts

Bird Feeder Preferences

Tube, hopper, platform, and suet

Bird House Specifications

Black-capped Chickadees use nest boxes.  Check out the Bird House Dimensions page to learn how to build a bird house specifically for chickadees.

Plants to Attract

Woody Plants: Bayberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, honeysuckle, and tulip tree; Non-woody Plants: Goldenrod and ragweed

Description

Black-capped Chickadees are one of the most widespread and well known birds in the United States and Canada.  They are found coast to coast and from central Canada to central United States.  Black-capped Chickadees are common in wooded areas including forests, parks, and neighborhoods.  Chickadees are active, acrobatic, curious, social birds that live in flocks, often associating with woodpeckers, nuthatches, warblers, vireos, and other small woodland species.

Black-capped Chickadees are on average five inches in length and weigh between 0.3 and 0.5 ounces.  Black-capped Chickadees have black caps and bibs with white cheeks.  Their underparts are white and transition to buffy on the sides.  Chickadees’ backs are light gray and their wings have bold white edges.  The Black-capped Chickadee’s closest relative is the Mountain Chickadee and not the very similar looking Carolina Chickadee.

Both male and female Black-capped Chickadees excavate the cavity for the nest, which averages 21 cm deep.  The female builds the cup-shaped nest using moss for the foundation and rabbit fur for the lining.  Nests are usually found between two and seven meters high.  Black-capped Chickadees will nest in bird houses.

Similar Species

Boreal Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, and White-breasted Nuthatch