# Boreal Chickadee (*Poecile hudsonicus*) The Boreal Chickadee is a small, cheerful bird with a black cap and a soft brown body. They love to flit around in trees and are often found in northern forests, singing sweet songs. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Boreal Chickadee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Poecile_hudsonicus_7.jpg&width=800) Photo: David Mitchell, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Poecile_hudsonicus_7.jpg) ## Appearance The Boreal Chickadee has a distinct brown cap on its head and reddish-brown flanks, setting it apart from other chickadees. Its back is grey, and its cheeks are a clear white, creating a neat contrast with its darker cap. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Paridae - **Genus:** Poecile ## Interesting facts - Boreal Chickadees often mate for life and stay together year-round! - Their fluffy feathers make them look bigger to trick predators! - They sometimes eat snow instead of flying to find water in winter! - They use specific alarm calls to warn others about different types of danger! ## Special abilities - **Cold Survivalist:** Boreal Chickadee can lower its body temperature at night, a trick called torpor, that helps them survive freezing boreal winters. - **Food Cache Master:** Boreal Chickadees can hide thousands of seeds and insects, a skill that helps them find food when supplies are scarce. - **Acrobatic Forager:** Boreal Chickadees have strong feet and legs that help them cling upside down to branches while searching for tiny insects. - **Cavity Excavator:** Boreal Chickadees can dig out nesting holes in soft, rotting wood that helps them create safe nurseries for their chicks. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12.5-14 cm - **Wingspan:** 19-22 cm - **Weight:** 0.009-0.012 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-9 - **Incubation:** 14-16 days ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds feast on insects, spiders, and conifer seeds, especially during the cold winter months! - **Primary Foods:** Conifer seeds, Insect larvae, Spiders, Caterpillars, Berries, Suet - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — A swift forest predator that actively hunts small birds like chickadees. - **Depends on:** Black Spruce (*Picea mariana*) — Relies on its cones for seeds and its dense branches for winter shelter. - **Eats:** Spruce Budworm (*Choristoneura fumiferana*) — Consumes larvae and pupae of this moth, helping to control its populations. - **Eaten by:** [Stoat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stoat) (*Mustela erminea*) — A cunning small mammal that can hunt birds even in their tree cavities. ## Traits - [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. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [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. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [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 Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Boreal 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 Boreal Chickadee? 12.5-14 cm ### What is Boreal Chickadee's wingspan? 19-22 cm ### How much does Boreal Chickadee weigh? 0.009-0.012 kg ### How long does Boreal Chickadee live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Boreal Chickadee move? 55 km/h ### What does Boreal Chickadee eat? These tiny birds feast on insects, spiders, and conifer seeds, especially during the cold winter months! ### Where is Boreal Chickadee usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Gakona Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gakona-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District ## 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: [Boreal Chickadee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/boreal-chickadee)