Overview

The black-capped chickadee is one of North America's best-loved birds: bold, curious, and easy to attract to backyard feeders. Its namesake call — chick-a-dee-dee-dee — varies in speed and repetition, with more dee notes signalling greater alarm.

Chickadees are remarkable for their memory. Each autumn they hide thousands of seeds in bark crevices and leaf litter across their territory, then recall most locations months later — a mental map that helps them survive harsh northern winters.

Habitat

Deciduous and mixed forests across the northern US and Canada hold black-capped chickadees year-round. They nest in tree cavities and visit sunflower-seed feeders, especially where woodland meets suburbia.

Countries found

Black-capped Chickadee in United States

Interesting facts

01
Chickadees hide seeds in thousands of spots and remember most of them.
02
Extra dee notes in their alarm call mean a bigger predator is nearby.
03
They lower their body temperature on cold nights to save energy.

Conservation status

LC — Least Concern

Black-capped chickadees are Least Concern with stable populations across a vast range. They adapt readily to backyard feeding and nest-box programmes.