In Ohio, this comprehensive manual aims to assist you in identifying all the various species of Chickadees. It provides photo identification, detailed descriptions, enchanting audio recordings of their melodious songs, intriguing facts, and much more.
Chickadees, those industrious little avian songsters, flit about energetically, tirelessly searching for insects. They readily grace backyard feeders with their presence. These delightful creatures belong to the Poecile family, with only seven distinct species of Chickadees existing in the entire North American region.
Ohio boasts the presence of three Chickadee types. The Carolina Chickadee and the Black-capped Chickadee are frequently encountered, while the Boreal Chickadee is a rare visitor.
Although Chickadees do not partake in migratory journeys, they may seek lower altitudes during the winter months. To survive the frigid conditions, studies have revealed their resourceful strategies of food caching, roosting in cavities, and entering a regulated nocturnal hypothermia state to conserve energy.
Chickadees possess an insatiable appetite due to their elevated body temperature, necessitating them to consume an amount of food equivalent to their own body weight on a daily basis!
Sadly, the lifespan of these captivating birds is relatively short, usually spanning a mere two to three years. Some individuals may only experience a single year as an adult and have a solitary breeding season. However, remarkable records have documented Chickadees living up to twelve years.
Distinguishing between male and female Chickadees can be quite challenging since they exhibit similar appearances. However, only the male Chickadees possess the ability to produce the resounding ‘Fee-bee’ song.
Moreover, Black-capped Chickadees and Carolina Chickadees bear striking resemblances, although the former possesses more pronounced white wing markings and a distinct two-note song, contrasting with the Carolina’s four-note melody.
Chickadees are known to consume insects and seeds, often frequenting backyard feeders for a hearty meal of seeds or suet. Explore the plethora of other avian species that regularly visit Ohio’s backyards and avail a complimentary identification chart.
This comprehensive guide is designed to assist you in identifying the various types of Chickadees found in Ohio. It draws on data gathered from bird enthusiasts using the Avibase platform and valuable observations provided by bird watchers on ebird, ensuring the provision of authentic information regarding the timing of these avian sightings.
Ohio’s Chickadee Species: A Triptych
1. Carolina Chickadee
Ohio plays host to Carolina Chickadees throughout the year, as they opt against migration. Data collected from bird watchers in the state reveals Carolina Chickadees’ presence in 15% of summer checklists and 23% of winter checklists.
These diminutive birds possess small bodies and prominent heads, adorned with black caps and throats. Their cheeks and bellies showcase a pristine white, while their soft gray plumage encompasses their backs, wings, and tails.
Despite their close resemblance to Black-capped Chickadees, Carolina Chickadees engage in limited interbreeding, primarily due to their differing geographical ranges. Black-capped Chickadees feature more extensive white markings on their wings compared to their Carolina counterparts.
Poecile carolinensis
Length: 3.9-4.7 inches (10-12 cm)
Weight: 0.3-0.4 ounces (8-12 g)
Wingspan: 5.9-7.9 inches (15-20 cm)
Carolina Chickadees permanently inhabit the eastern and southeastern regions of the United States.
You can easily spot Carolina Chickadees in wooded areas, parks, and your very own backyard.
During the summer, their diet mainly comprises insects and spiders, while plant matter accounts for approximately half of their winter sustenance.
Carolina Chickadee Song:
Credit: Brian Hendrix, XC572217. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/572217.
Carolina Chickadees fashion their nests in self-constructed cavities, utilizing existing holes created by other species or natural cavities. They line these cavities with moss before introducing softer materials like hair. The incubation period lasts around two weeks, and the young take an additional two to three weeks to fledge.
To attract Carolina Chickadees to your backyard feeders, offer black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet feeders, or peanuts. These adaptable birds readily feed from various feeder types, including tube feeders, suet cages, or platform feeders. Additionally, they exhibit a preference for nesting in nest boxes or nest tubes.
2. Black-capped Chickadee
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Black-capped Chickadees maintain a year-round presence in Ohio, primarily inhabiting the state’s northern region. These captivating creatures feature in approximately 18% of both summer and winter checklists.
Black-capped Chickadees enchant with their endearing appearance, boasting round heads atop diminutive bodies. They enthusiastically visit backyard feeders, showcasing their curiosity towards everything, even human observers!
Their distinct black caps, beaks, and throats beautifully contrast with their white cheeks. Meanwhile, their backs, wings, and tails display a soft gray hue. Their bellies appear lighter. Black-capped Chickadees bear striking similarities to Carolina Chickadees.
Poecile atricapillus
Length: 4.7-5.9 inches (12-15 cm)
Weight: 0.3-0.5 ounces (9-14 g)
Wingspan: 6.3-8.3 inches (16-21 cm)
Black-capped Chickadees eschew migratory flights, favoring the northern regions of the United States and Canada.
Forests, open woods, and parks provide ideal habitats for Black-capped Chickadees. Their diet consists of seeds, berries, insects, spiders, and suet.
Black-capped Chickadee Call/Song:
Credit: Matt Wistrand, XC554222. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/554222.
Black-capped Chickadees typically nest in abandoned woodpecker holes, although they may construct their own cavities in decaying branches. Both male and female birds participate in nest construction, with the female ultimately lining it with moss and other soft materials like fur.
These resourceful birds lay sizable clutches, with clutch sizes reaching up to thirteen eggs. The incubation period lasts approximately two weeks, followed by an additional two-week period for the young to leave the nest.
To attract Black-capped Chickadees to your backyard, offer suet, sunflower seeds, peanuts, or peanut butter. These friendly birds may even feed from your hand and often emerge as the first visitors to new feeders. Providing nest boxes filled with wood shavings will also entice them to nest.
Fun Fact: Black-capped Chickadees possess remarkable brains that shed unnecessary information each year by allowing old neurons to perish, replacing them with new neurons and fresh knowledge.
3. Boreal Chickadee
Boreal Chickadees, considered accidental visitors to Ohio, are exceptionally rare and have not been spotted in the state for several years.
These petite songbirds exhibit a grayish-brown plumage, featuring a dark brown cap, a small black bib, cinnamon-colored sides, and a white underbelly and cheeks.
Poecile hudsonicus
Length: 4.9-5.5 inches (12.5-14 cm)
Weight: 0.3-0.4 ounces (7-12.4 g)
Boreal Chickadees predominantly reside in Canada and Alaska, occasionally venturing into the northern regions of the United States.
These elusive creatures primarily inhabit coniferous forests, often favoring areas near water. However, they can also be found in deciduous or mixed forests. Boreal Chickadees forage for seeds and insects within the upper reaches of the forest canopy, frequently visiting feeders.
Credit: Ken Hall, XC511286. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/511286.
Boreal Chickadees fashion their nests within decaying trees, typically utilizing cavities created by previous decay. The female bird constructs the cavity, lining it with moss and bark, and subsequently incorporating softer materials like hair and feathers. Clutch sizes can reach up to nine eggs, with an incubation period of just over two weeks.
To attract Boreal Chickadees to your backyard, provide black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet, peanuts, and mealworms. These resourceful birds readily feed from various feeder types. Additionally, consider installing nesting boxes to create an inviting environment for potential mating pairs.
Fun Fact: Boreal Chickadees diligently store seeds and insects in preparation for the arduous and harsh winter months.
Luring Chickadees to Your Backyard
The charismatic Chickadees offer a delightful spectacle with their ceaseless quest for sustenance. If you desire more frequent encounters with these endearing birds, you must entice them to visit your yard.
- Supply feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, suet, or peanuts.
- Various feeder types, such as tube feeders, suet cages, or platform feeders, will accommodate their feeding preferences.
- Ensure the provision of a water source, such as a birdbath, preferably with a gentle stream of water.
- Plant trees and shrubs that bear berries, attracting insects as well.
- Abstain from using pesticides or herbicides, as Chickadees rely on insects as a vital part of their diet.
- Offer shelter by planting trees and shrubs, providing protective cover.
- Facilitate nesting by installing appropriately sized nest boxes, raised 5 to 15 feet above the ground, featuring a small hole of 1 1/8 inches.
- Keep domestic cats indoors to ensure the safety of visiting birds.
- Exercise patience, as it may take some time for the birds to discover your yard and feeders.
Chickadee Melodies and Calls
Chickadees are renowned for their signature “chick a dee” call, which, in reality, serves as a gentle alarm or contact call. Their actual song manifests as a delightful “fee bee” sound.
Chickadee Sounds:
1. Fee-bee
Produced exclusively by male birds.
The first note carries a higher pitch compared to the second.
Males tend to move away from one another when singing.
Credit: Matt Wistrand, XC554222. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/554222.
2. Faint Fee-bee
Produced by both male and female Chickadees.
Females employ this call to summon the male for feeding while she incubates the eggs.
Used for communication between parents and young offspring.
3. Chick-a-dee Call
A mild alarm call.
Contact calls within flocks.
Coordinates movements within flocks.
Credit: GABRIEL LEITE, XC420822. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/420822.
4. Gargle
Comprises a series of two to nine short notes.
Used when birds encroach upon one another’s territory within flocks or around feeders.
Serves as a warning call, prompting other Chickadees to retreat to a safer distance.
Credit: Todd Wilson, XC42956. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/42956.
5. Begging Call
Young Chickadees emit “bee” calls to signal their hunger, prompting parental feeding.
Credit: Tayler Brooks, XC36609. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/36609.
6. High Seet Call
An alarm call employed when predators are present in the vicinity.
Credit: Tayler Brooks, XC35305. Available at www.xeno-canto.org/35305.
Frequency of Chickadee Sightings in Ohio during Summer and Winter
Checklists serve as invaluable resources for determining the common avian inhabitants of your state. Based on ebird checklists, the following data reveals the prevalence of Chickadee sightings during summer and winter in Ohio:
Chickadees in Ohio during Summer:
Black-capped Chickadee: 17.4%
Carolina Chickadee: 15.9%
Chickadees in Ohio during Winter:
Carolina Chickadee: 23.9%
Black-capped Chickadee: 18.8%