# Chestnut-backed Chickadee (*Poecile rufescens*) The Chestnut-backed Chickadee is a small, cheerful bird with a brown back and a black cap. They love to flit around trees and are known for their sweet, chirpy calls that sound like 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee'. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 21 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Chestnut-backed Chickadee](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chestnut-backed_chickadee.jpg&width=800) Photo: Minette Layne, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chestnut-backed_chickadee.jpg) ## Appearance The Chestnut-backed Chickadee has a distinctive rufous (chestnut-brown) back, flanks, and sides, setting it apart from other chickadees. It features a solid black cap, white cheek patches, and a short black bib. Its wings and tail are gray. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Paridae - **Genus:** Poecile ## Interesting facts - In winter, they often join flocks with other bird species to search for food together! - Their name 'chickadee' comes from their characteristic 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee' alarm call. - These tiny birds can eat up to 35% of their body weight in food every single day! - They often excavate their own snug nest cavities in soft, rotting wood. ## Special abilities - **Memory Master:** The Chestnut-backed Chickadee can remember hundreds of food hiding spots because its brain grows new cells to store memories. - **Upside-Down Acrobat:** This chickadee can hang upside down on branches to find hidden insects and seeds that others might miss. - **Forest Communicator:** The Chestnut-backed Chickadee uses a variety of complex calls to alert others to danger or find food sources. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 11.5-13 cm - **Wingspan:** 17-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.0085-0.0125 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-7 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-9 - **Incubation:** 11-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding These small birds enjoy a diverse menu of insects, spiders, and seeds from coniferous trees. - **Primary Foods:** Caterpillars, Aphids, Spiders, Conifer seeds, Small berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — A common nocturnal predator - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A swift avian predator - **Depends on:** [Douglas Fir](https://www.snappit.app/explore/douglas-fir) (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Provides seeds, nesting sites, and shelter - **Eats:** Forest Tent Caterpillar (*Malacosoma disstria*) — A common insect prey item ## 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. - [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. - [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 Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chestnut-backed 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 Chestnut-backed Chickadee? 11.5-13 cm ### What is Chestnut-backed Chickadee's wingspan? 17-21 cm ### How much does Chestnut-backed Chickadee weigh? 0.0085-0.0125 kg ### How long does Chestnut-backed Chickadee live? 2-7 years ### How fast can Chestnut-backed Chickadee move? 40 km/h ### What does Chestnut-backed Chickadee eat? These small birds enjoy a diverse menu of insects, spiders, and seeds from coniferous trees. ### Where is Chestnut-backed Chickadee usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Monte Bello Open Space Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monte-bello-open-space-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Saxman Totem Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saxman-totem-park) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Agnews Developmental Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/agnews-developmental-center) — California, US · Historic District - [Angel Island Immigration Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/angel-island-immigration-station) — US · Historic Site - [Berkeley Rose Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkeley-rose-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Chestnut-backed Chickadee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/chestnut-backed-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: [Chestnut-backed Chickadee: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chestnut-backed-chickadee)