# Black-capped Chickadee (*Poecile atricapillus*) The Black-capped Chickadee is a small, friendly bird with a black cap and a white face. They love to visit backyards and are known for their cheerful chirping! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 135 - **Habitat:** Woodlands and gardens ![Black-capped Chickadee](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426449/objects/4548.jpg) ## Appearance The Black-capped Chickadee is a small, plump bird with a distinctive black cap and bib, contrasting with bright white cheeks. Its back is soft gray, and its sides are a buffy or yellowish-tan. This color pattern clearly distinguishes it from other small songbirds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Paridae - **Genus:** Poecile ## Interesting facts - A chickadee can hang completely upside down from a branch to find tiny insects or seeds! - Chickadees will mob and harass predators like owls to drive them away from their territory! - Their brain's memory center actually grows larger each autumn, ready for winter food hiding! - They often sleep tucked inside a cozy tree cavity, keeping them safe and warm from predators! ## Special abilities - **Memory Masters:** Black-capped Chickadee can remember thousands of food hiding spots, helping them find meals even when snow covers the ground. - **Winter Warmth:** Black-capped Chickadee can shiver intensely to raise its body temperature by 10-12 degrees Celsius, keeping warm on freezing nights. - **Energy Saver:** Black-capped Chickadee has the ability to lower its body temperature (torpor) to save energy on very cold nights. - **Language Experts:** Black-capped Chickadee can communicate complex information through its 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee' alarm call, with more 'dees' indicating greater danger. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 16-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.009-0.014 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-12 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-8 - **Incubation:** 12-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 500 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds are omnivores, feasting on a mix of tasty insects, spiders, seeds, and juicy berries. - **Primary Foods:** insects, spiders, seeds, berries, suet - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — A swift predator that ambushes chickadees for a meal. - **Eaten by:** [Barred Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barred-owl) (*Strix varia*) — These nocturnal hunters can catch chickadees sleeping in their roosts. - **Shelter:** [Quaking Aspen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quaking-aspen) (*Populus tremuloides*) — Chickadees nest in natural cavities found in aspen trees. - **Hunts:** Spruce Budworm (*Choristoneura fumiferana*) — Chickadees help control populations of this destructive forest pest. - **Hunts:** Deer Tick (*Ixodes scapularis*) — They have been observed eating ticks, potentially helping reduce tick populations. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Chickadees are friendly and safe to watch from a distance. Always be gentle and quiet around them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black-capped Chickadee? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black-capped Chickadee? 12-15 cm ### What is Black-capped Chickadee's wingspan? 16-21 cm ### How much does Black-capped Chickadee weigh? 0.009-0.014 kg ### How long does Black-capped Chickadee live? 2-12 years ### How fast can Black-capped Chickadee move? 40 km/h ### What does Black-capped Chickadee eat? These tiny birds are omnivores, feasting on a mix of tasty insects, spiders, seeds, and juicy berries. ### Where is Black-capped Chickadee usually found? Woodlands and gardens ## Where to spot - [Algonquin Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/algonquin-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Chenango Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-canal) — New York, US · Historic Site - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Derryfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/derryfield-park) — New Hampshire, US · Park [View all places to see Black-capped Chickadee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-capped-chickadee) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black-capped Chickadee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-capped-chickadee)