In Montana, this comprehensive manual will assist you in identifying all the various species of Chickadees, complete with photo identifications, detailed descriptions, captivating audio recordings of their melodious tunes, intriguing facts, and more.
Chickadees, the industrious and lively songbirds, gracefully flutter about in search of insects and happily frequent backyard feeders. Belonging to the esteemed avian family Poecile, there exist only seven unique species of Chickadees, all of which call North America their home.
Montana boasts the presence of three distinct Chickadee types: the Black-capped Chickadee, the Mountain Chickadee, the Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and the Boreal Chickadee.
Despite their non-migratory nature, Chickadees may occasionally journey to lower altitudes during winter. To combat the harsh cold months, scientific studies reveal that Chickadees adeptly store food, seek refuge in cavities, and undergo regulated nocturnal hypothermia to conserve energy.
Due to their elevated body temperature and insatiable appetites, Chickadees have an incessant need to consume an amount of food equivalent to their own body weight each day!
Chickadees, regrettably, do not typically enjoy lengthy lifespans, with an average lifespan of merely two or three years. As adults, they may only experience a single breeding season and survive for a sole year. However, some extraordinary records indicate Chickadees that have lived up to twelve years.
Distinguishing between male and female Chickadees can prove challenging as they possess identical appearances. However, it is important to note that only the male Chickadees possess the ability to sing the resonant and melodious ‘Fee-bee’ song.
Insects and seeds comprise the mainstay of Chickadees’ diet, making them frequent visitors to backyard feeders in search of seeds or suet. Discover other fascinating avian species that regularly grace the landscapes of Montana and obtain a complimentary chart for identification purposes.
To furnish accurate information regarding the Chickadee species spotted in Montana, this guide draws from Avibase and incorporates data collected from avid birdwatchers via ebird.
Four Distinct Chickadee Varieties in Montana:
1. Black-capped Chickadee
During the winter months of November to February, Black-capped Chickadees are more commonly sighted in Montana. However, they can be observed throughout the state throughout the year. Birdwatchers’ checklists submitted for Montana indicate their presence in 24% of summer checklists and 43% of winter checklists.
Black-capped Chickadees captivate with their endearing appearance, characterized by round heads and diminutive bodies. These delightful creatures readily flock to backyard feeders, ceaselessly investigating everything in sight, including curious onlookers like yourself!
Featuring black caps, beaks, and throats, these charming birds possess white cheeks and exhibit shades of gray on their backs, wings, and tails. Their bellies radiate a lighter hue. Resembling Carolina Chickadees, they share a striking resemblance.
Poecile atricapillus
Length: 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 refrain from migration and are prevalent in the northern regions of the United States and Canada.
These delightful birds can be found in forests, open woodlands, and parks. Their diet primarily consists of seeds, berries, insects, spiders, and suet.
Black-capped Chickadee Call/Song:
Credit: Matt Wistrand, XC554222. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/554222.
Typically, Black-capped Chickadee nests are situated within old woodpecker nests. On occasion, they fashion their own cavities within decaying branches. Both male and female Chickadees partake in constructing the nest, with the female meticulously lining it with moss and subsequently adding softer materials like fur.
The clutch size of Black-capped Chickadees can be substantial, with up to thirteen eggs. These eggs require around two weeks for hatching, followed by an additional two weeks before the fledglings venture forth from the nest.
Entice Black-capped Chickadees to your backyard by offering suet, sunflower seeds, peanuts, or peanut butter. These charismatic birds may even feed directly from your hand, often among the first to discover new feeders. They also exhibit a fondness for nest boxes, particularly when filled with wood shavings.
Fun fact: Black-capped Chickadees possess astonishing brains that annually discard old neurons to eliminate obsolete information and eagerly replace them with new neurons and fresh knowledge.
2. Mountain Chickadee
Mountain Chickadees, similar to Black-capped Chickadees, refrain from migration and can be found throughout Montana year-round, primarily in the western regions. They feature in 11% of summer checklists and 18% of winter checklists.
Adorned with black-and-white heads, Mountain Chickadees possess gray plumage on their bodies, darker on the back, and a light gray hue underneath.
Poecile gambeli
Length: 4.3-5.5 in (11-14 cm)
Weight: 0.4 oz (11 g)
Mountain Chickadees reside in mountainous areas in the western United States throughout the year, eschewing migration. However, during winter, they may descend to lower elevations.
Evergreen forests, particularly those abundant with pine and conifers, serve as the preferred habitats for Mountain Chickadees. They relish a diet consisting of insects, spiders, nuts, seeds, and are known for their tendency to store food for later consumption.
Credit: Richard E. Webster, XC619853. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/619853.
Typically, Mountain Chickadee nests occupy abandoned woodpecker or nuthatch holes. When the female leaves the nest, she diligently covers the eggs. Moss, bark, fur, and grass comprise the lining of the nest. A clutch of up to nine eggs requires roughly two weeks to hatch, followed by an additional three weeks before the fledglings depart the nest.
Attract Mountain Chickadees to your yard by erecting nest boxes. They are fond of various feeders, including those equipped with black oil sunflower seeds, mealworms, nyjer, suet, and peanut butter.
Fun fact: Mountain Chickadees incubate their eggs for 50% longer than other Chickadee species. This elongated incubation period is likely attributed to the protective nature of their nesting sites, such as old woodpecker nests, as well as the female’s habit of covering the eggs when temporarily absent.
3. Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Although not particularly common in Montana, Chestnut-backed Chickadees can be spotted in the state’s western regions throughout the year.
Featuring black caps, throats, and white cheeks, Chestnut-backed Chickadees exhibit a rich chestnut coloration on their backs and sides, with gray wings and bellies. In California, their sides possess a gray shade as opposed to brown.
Poecile rufescens
Length: 3.9-4.7 in (10-12 cm)
Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (7-12 g)
Wingspan: 7.5 in (19 cm)
Chestnut-backed Chickadees congregate in flocks and primarily inhabit wet evergreen forests along the Pacific Coast. They are known to frequent backyard feeders.
Coniferous forests serve as the preferred habitats for Chestnut-backed Chickadees. Their diet primarily consists of insects, including caterpillars, spiders, wasps, aphids, as well as seeds, berries, and fruit.
Credit: Simon Elliott, XC597659. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/597659.
Typically, Chestnut-backed Chickadees nest within holes in decaying wood, either creating the cavities themselves or utilizing abandoned woodpecker nests. The nest is lined with moss, bark, and supplemented with softer materials like fur and grass. A clutch may comprise up to eleven eggs, requiring approximately two weeks to hatch, followed by nearly three weeks before the fledglings leave the nest.
Attract Chestnut-backed Chickadees to your yard by offering black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, nyjer, peanuts, or mealworms in tube feeders, platform feeders, or suet cages. They also show a propensity for utilizing nest boxes.
4. Boreal Chickadee
On rare occasions, Boreal Chickadees have been sighted in western Montana during the summer months.
Sporting a grayish-brown plumage, Boreal Chickadees feature a dark brown cap, a small black bib, cinnamon-colored sides, and white undersides and cheeks.
Poecile hudsonicus
Length: 4.9-5.5 in (12.5-14 cm)
Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (7-12.4 g)
Boreal Chickadees primarily inhabit Canada and Alaska but may occasionally venture into northern states of the United States.
These diminutive birds are frequently found in coniferous forests, often in proximity to water sources. However, they can also be spotted in deciduous or mixed forests. Boreal Chickadees primarily feed on seeds and insects found in the upper reaches of the canopy, and they readily visit feeders.
Credit: Ken Hall, XC511286. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/511286.
Boreal Chickadees typically establish their nests within dead trees, with the female responsible for creating the nesting cavity. Moss, bark, and subsequently softer materials such as hair and feathers contribute to the lining of the nest. A clutch of up to nine eggs requires slightly over two weeks to hatch.
To attract Boreal Chickadees to your backyard, offer black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet, peanuts, and mealworms in various feeder types. Additionally, providing a nesting box will entice a mating pair.
Fun fact: Boreal Chickadees diligently store seeds and insects in preparation for the long and arduous winter.
Inviting Chickadees to Your Backyard
Observing the ceaseless flurry of Chickadees as they diligently forage for sustenance is truly a joyous experience. If you desire the company of these delightful avian creatures in your own yard, the following measures will prove effective:
1. Supply feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet, or peanuts.
2. Chickadees will partake in feeding from various feeder types, including tube feeders, suet cages, or platform feeders.
3. Provide a water source such as a birdbath, preferably with a gentle flow of running water.
4. Plant trees and shrubs that bear berries, attracting insects which Chickadees will readily consume.
5. Refrain from using pesticides or herbicides, as Chickadees rely on insects as a food source.
6. Create a sheltered environment with the presence of trees and shrubs.
7. Install a nest box featuring a small entrance hole of approximately 1 1/8 inches, positioned 5-15 feet above the ground.
8. Ensure the safety of Chickadees by keeping cats indoors.
9. Exercise patience, as it may take some time for birds to discover your yard and feeders.
Chickadee Songs and Calls
Chickadees are renowned for their distinctive vocalizations. While their signature call is the familiar “chick-a-dee,” it serves as a mild alarm or contact call, and their actual song is represented by the melodic sound of “fee bee.”
Chickadee Sounds:
1. Fee-bee
This vocalization is exclusively produced by males.
The first note exhibits a higher pitch compared to the second.
Males tend to sing in solitude, distancing themselves from other males.
Credit: Matt Wistrand, XC554222. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/554222.
2. Faint Fee-bee
Both males and females emit this vocalization.
Females utilize this call to summon the male for feeding while she is incubating.
It is also employed in communication between parents and young.
3. Chick-a-dee call
This serves as a mild alarm call.
It is used as a contact call among flock members, aiding in coordinating movements.
Credit: GABRIEL LEITE, XC420822. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/420822.
4. Gargle
This vocalization consists of a series of short notes ranging from two to nine.
It is employed when Chickadees feel too close to other individuals within a flock or at feeding sites.
The gargle serves as a warning call, encouraging other Chickadees to maintain a safe distance.
Credit: Todd Wilson, XC42956. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/42956.
5. Begging Call
Young Chickadees utilize this bee-like call to request food from their parents.
Credit: Tayler Brooks, XC36609. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/36609.
6. High Seet Call
This call serves as an alarm when predators are present.
Credit: Tayler Brooks, XC35305. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/35305.
Frequency of Chickadee Sightings in Montana during Summer and Winter
Checklists provide valuable insights into the most commonly observed bird species within a given state. The following data represents the frequency of Chickadee sightings in Montana during summer and winter, based on checklists submitted to ebird.
Chickadees in Montana during Summer:
– Black-capped Chickadee: 24.6%
– Mountain Chickadee: 11.5%
– Chestnut-backed Chickadee: 0.8%
– Boreal Chickadee: 0.2%
Chickadees in Montana during Winter:
– Black-capped Chickadee: 43.2%
– Mountain Chickadee: 18.1%
– Chestnut-backed Chickadee: 1.1%
– Boreal Chickadee: <0.1%