Discover the myriad species of Chickadees inhabiting the enchanting landscapes of New Mexico. Embark on an exploratory journey accompanied by vivid photo IDs, captivating descriptions, enchanting audio recordings of their melodic serenades, and intriguing tidbits.
These spirited avian creatures, known as Chickadees, incessantly flit about, ceaselessly in search of delectable insects, and they graciously grace backyard feeders with their delightful presence. Belonging to the esteemed Poecile family, Chickadees number a mere seven species, all of which exclusively call North America their home.
In the wondrous realm of New Mexico, three distinct types of Chickadees grace the ethereal skies. The prevailing varieties include the Mountain Chickadees and Black-capped Chickadees, while occasionally, Mexican Chickadees bless this land with their presence.
While Chickadees abstain from migratory ventures, they may undertake ventures to lower altitudes during the frosty winter months. As a survival mechanism, these clever creatures employ a repertoire of techniques, including food hoarding, roosting in snug cavities, and embracing a state of regulated nocturnal hypothermia, all in a valiant effort to preserve precious energy.
Driven by their fervent metabolism and insatiable hunger, Chickadees voraciously consume sustenance equivalent to their own body weight on a daily basis!
Remarkably, Chickadees seldom enjoy lengthy lifespans, typically surviving a mere two to three years. As adults, they may only partake in a solitary breeding season, granting them a brief tenure of one year. However, exceptional records attest to Chickadees gracing this Earth for an astonishing twelve years.
Distinguishing male and female Chickadees can prove to be quite challenging, for their appearances bear striking resemblances. The distinctive trait lies in the melodious tunes emitted, as only the male Chickadees regale the world with their resounding ‘Fee-bee’ serenades.
Chickadees indulge in a balanced diet of insects and seeds, often delighting in the offerings of backyard feeders, where seeds and suet await. Delve deeper into the realm of avian diversity and obtain a complimentary identification chart showcasing the various backyard birds that grace New Mexico regularly.
To facilitate your quest for identifying the Chickadee species dwelling in New Mexico, this guide relies on Avibase data and incorporates valuable insights from avid bird watchers who contribute to the ebird initiative. Rest assured, the information provided is genuine and reliable, paving the way for an authentic avian encounter.
New Mexico’s Bountiful Chickadee Array:
1. Mountain Chickadee
Behold the enchanting Mountain Chickadee, a year-round resident of New Mexico. According to bird watchers’ meticulous observations, these delightful creatures adorn approximately 11% of summer checklists and 13% of winter checklists in the state.
Sporting black-and-white heads atop their petite frames, Mountain Chickadees flaunt a gray plumage on their backs, darker hues accentuating the dorsal region while a lighter gray graces the underbelly.
Scientific Name: Poecile gambeli
Size: 4.3-5.5 in (11-14 cm)
Weight: 0.4 oz (11 g)
Mountain Chickadees make their abode in the mountains west of the United States, steadfastly refusing to embark on migratory expeditions. However, during winter, they may descend to lower altitudes.
Evergreen forests, especially those adorned with majestic pine and coniferous trees, serve as idyllic habitats for Mountain Chickadees. These avian delights relish a diet comprising insects, spiders, nuts, and seeds, often paying visits to backyard feeders. Fascinatingly, Mountain Chickadees possess a proclivity for storing food, creating hidden reserves for future consumption.
Credit: Richard E. Webster, XC619853. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/619853.
Mountain Chickadees typically establish their nests within aged nesting cavities once occupied by woodpeckers and nuthatches. The resourceful female lines the cozy cavity with fur and diligently covers her precious eggs when venturing out. A clutch may comprise up to nine eggs, requiring two weeks for incubation and an additional three weeks before the younglings bravely venture into the world.
Entice Mountain Chickadees to grace your own abode by erecting nest boxes, offering an irresistible array of black oil sunflower seeds, mealworms, nyjer, suet, and peanut butter.
Fun fact: Mountain Chickadees, owing to the protective nature of their borrowed woodpecker nests and the mother’s vigilant egg coverage, incubate their eggs for a staggering 50% longer than other Chickadee species.
2. Black-capped Chickadee
Adorned with captivating black caps, beaks, and throats, Black-capped Chickadees mesmerize observers year-round in the wondrous expanse of New Mexico, particularly the state’s north-central region. These charming birds make appearances on approximately 5% of summer and winter checklists.
Featuring endearing round heads atop petite frames, Black-capped Chickadees effortlessly captivate onlookers, fearlessly exploring every nook and cranny, even extending their inquisitive gazes towards you!
Their captivating appearances showcase black-capped heads, beaks, and throats juxtaposed against white cheeks. Gray hues grace their backs, wings, and tails, while their bellies radiate a lighter shade. Strikingly similar in appearance to Carolina Chickadees, they effortlessly blend into their surroundings.
Scientific Name: Poecile atricapillus
Size: 4.7-5.9 in (12-15 cm)
Weight: 0.3-0.5 oz (9-14 g)
Wingspan: 6.3-8.3 in (16-21 cm)
Black-capped Chickadees, displaying a steadfast commitment to their habitat, forego migratory journeys, preferring to reside in the northern halves of the United States and Canada.
Forests, open woodlands, and parks become havens for Black-capped Chickadees. These delightful birds thrive on a varied diet of seeds, berries, insects, spiders, and suet.
Black-capped Chickadee Call/Song:
Credit: Matt Wistrand, XC554222. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/554222.
Black-capped Chickadees ingeniously choose to establish their nests within aged woodpecker nests, though they may construct their own cavities in decaying branches. The diligent male and female collaborate on nest building, with the female meticulously lining the cozy abode with moss and additional soft materials like fur.
Impressively, a clutch laid by Black-capped Chickadees may comprise up to thirteen eggs. After a two-week incubation period, the fledglings triumphantly depart the nest within an additional two weeks.
Invite the presence of Black-capped Chickadees to your backyard by generously providing suet, sunflower seeds, peanuts, or peanut butter. These friendly creatures may even grace your hand with their presence, often among the first to discover new feeding stations. Nest boxes, especially those adorned with wood shavings, become enticing abodes for these Chickadees.
Fun fact: Black-capped Chickadees boast remarkable brains, annually allowing old neurons to perish, shedding obsolete information, and making room for new neurons and fresh knowledge.
3. Mexican Chickadee
While relatively uncommon in New Mexico, the Mexican Chickadee occasionally graces the southwestern reaches of the state during the summer months. Behold their striking black caps, chins, and throats, complemented by white cheeks. Gray hues grace their backs and sides, while pale gray tones accentuate their undersides.
Scientific Name: Poecile sclateri
Length: (12.5 – 13.5 cm)
Weight: (7.5 – 11 g)
Mexican Chickadees flourish in the enchanting realms of Mexico, extending their domain into southern Arizona and New Mexico. Fiercely loyal to their abodes, these Chickadees shun migratory endeavors.
Within mountain conifer forests, Mexican Chickadees gracefully forage for insects adorning branches and leaves, savoring nature’s abundant offerings.
Credit: Manuel Grosselet, XC658567. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/658567.
Nest-building rituals among Mexican Chickadees involve crafting cozy abodes within tree cavities, meticulously lining the dwelling with moss and subsequently embellishing it with animal hair. Clutches may contain up to nine precious eggs, dutifully incubated by the female while the male diligently attends to her needs.
Fun Fact: Wise adult Mexican Chickadees strategically leave crushed beetles outside their nest entrances, potentially warding off predators with the chemicals these crushed beetles release.
Attracting Chickadees to Your Backyard
Witnessing the enchanting flurry of Chickadees’ ceaseless quest for sustenance proves an absolute delight. If you yearn to welcome more of these endearing avian companions into your yard, here are a few tips:
1. Offer an array of delectable delights such as black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet, or peanuts.
2. Accommodate their feeding preferences with a variety of feeders, including tube feeders, suet cages, or platform feeders.
3. Provide a water source, ideally a birdbath with gently flowing water, offering a refreshing oasis for parched throats.
4. Cultivate a garden adorned with berry-producing trees and shrubs, attracting a myriad of insects, an irresistible culinary delight for Chickadees.
5. Refrain from using pesticides or herbicides, as Chickadees feast on insects, necessitating a harmonious coexistence.
6. Create a welcoming shelter by nurturing trees and shrubs that provide ample cover.
7. Consider installing nest boxes, featuring small holes of 1 1/8 inch and positioned 5 to 15 feet above the ground, serving as enticing sanctuaries for Chickadees.
8. Ensure the safety of these cherished avian guests by keeping cats indoors, averting potential harm.
9. Exercise patience, as it may take some time for birds to discover your yard and feeders, gradually embracing the inviting sanctuary you’ve thoughtfully crafted.
Chickadee Serenades: Songs and Calls
Chickadees are renowned for their iconic “chick-a-dee” calls, which actually serve as mild alarms or contact calls, while their melodious songs manifest as resounding “fee bee” sounds.
Chickadee Sounds:
1. Fee-bee
Produced exclusively by males, this enchanting tune comprises two notes, with the first note resounding at a higher pitch than the second. Males instinctively distance themselves from fellow males while singing this melodic serenade.
Credit: Matt Wistrand, XC554222. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/554222.
2. Faint Fee-bee
Both males and females engage in producing this delicate call. Females utilize it to summon the male for feeding while she diligently incubates. It serves as a communication tool between parents and their fledglings.
3. Chick-a-dee call
Serving as a mild alarm call, the “chick-a-dee” call also facilitates communication within flocks, coordinating their movements harmoniously.
Credit: GABRIEL LEITE, XC420822. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/420822.
4. Gargle
This intriguing call consists of a series of two to nine short notes, serving as a warning before a Chickadee potentially initiates a defensive attack, compelling intruders to retreat.
Credit: Todd Wilson, XC42956. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/42956.
5. Begging Call
Juvenile Chickadees employ this call, emitting bee-like sounds to elicit parental attention and secure nourishment.
Credit: Tayler Brooks, XC36609. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/36609.
6. High Seet Call
An alarm call triggered in the presence of predators, signaling potential danger and fostering collective vigilance.
Credit: Tayler Brooks, XC35305. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/35305.
Chickadee Sightings in New Mexico: Summer and Winter Frequencies
Unearth the frequency of Chickadee sightings in New Mexico during the captivating seasons of summer and winter. Checklists compiled by dedicated bird watchers participating in the ebird initiative unveil the following observations:
Chickadees in New Mexico during Summer:
Mountain Chickadee: 11.0%
Black-capped Chickadee: 4.1%
Mexican Chickadee: <0.1%
Chickadees in New Mexico during Winter:
Mountain Chickadee: 13.2%
Black-capped Chickadee: 5.6%
Mexican Chickadee: <0.1%
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Chickadees, discover their secrets, and savor their enchanting presence as they grace the breathtaking landscapes of New Mexico.