{"id":1942,"date":"2019-10-04T17:53:23","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T17:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/?p=1942"},"modified":"2019-10-08T02:59:37","modified_gmt":"2019-10-08T02:59:37","slug":"black-capped-chickadees-pint-sized-paridae-packing-a-punch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.viu.ca\/biol325\/2019\/10\/04\/black-capped-chickadees-pint-sized-paridae-packing-a-punch\/","title":{"rendered":"Black-Capped Chickadees: Pint-Sized Paridae Packing a Punch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Part 1: An Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Black-Capped Chickadee (photo by Linda Peterson<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The black-capped chickadee (ORDER Passeriformes, FAMILY Paridae, SCIENTIFIC NAME Poecile atricapillus<\/em>), is an adorable bird measuring between 12 to 15 centimetres in length and weigh an average of about 11 grams! They have grey backs, dark grey wings and tails, with the white edging on the feathers. They are distinguished by their black cap that covers their eyes, white cheeks, a triangular black bib on their throat, and buffy (dull-yellow or yellowish-brown colour) sides that fade to a white chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While chickadees make a variety of calls, songs, and sounds, the most recognisable is the chickadee-dee-dee<\/em>. Another common call, usually used by males during nesting season (late winter), is the fee-bee <\/em>or fee-bee-bee<\/em>, where the first note is usually higher and longer than the second or third (Hinterland Who’s Who, 2003<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black-Capped Chickadee Song and Call (Sound clip from BirdNote.org<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Range Map for Black-Capped Chickadees (Map from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology<\/a>) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Black-capped chickadees are found throughout Canada and the United States. They habit central and southern parts of Alaska, southern parts of the Yukon and Northwest Territories in the north and extend as far south as Oregon, Utah, Kansas, Ohio, North Carolina, and the eastern-most states. They also range from Newfoundland to British Columbia, except for the coastal islands. The reason black-capped chickadees do not occur on the coastal islands, such as Vancouver Island, is thought to be due to resource competition with Chestnut-backed chickadees (Wright, 2015<\/a>). However, more research has to be done on this topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black-capped chickadees are a non-migratory species. However, when reproduction is high, juveniles may travel long distances. Such events are called \u201cirruptions\u201d and can also occur due to habitat destruction (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2017<\/a>). Additionally, large numbers of birds are seen flying southward in the fall and are called \u201cinvasions\u201d (Audubon, 2019<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Black-Capped Chickadee excavating a nest (Photo by Chris Bosak<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Black-capped chickadees live in a variety of wooded areas and in deciduous and mixed forests. This can include woodlots, orchards, forests, residential neighbourhoods and parks, fields, and marshes (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2017<\/a>). They nest in holes, sometimes old woodpecker holes, in soft or rotting wood, or in nesting boxes (Audubon, 2019<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fall and winter, chickadees live in flocks of up to 12 birds. Each flock establishes a social hierarchy, or \u201cpecking order\u201d. The determined dominant individuals get first access to all resources. Within the flock, the birds pair up according to rank, with the more dominant and\/or aggressive females with the most dominant and\/or aggressive males. Once the pecking order is determined, the flock will defend its territory fiercely. (Canadian Wildlife Federation<\/a>, 2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This species is very common, and the North American Breeding Bird Survey shows that populations have slightly increased between 1966 and 2015. Estimates show the population total to be approximately 41 million individuals. It rates a 7 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score (State of the Birds, 2016<\/a>) and did not make it to the 2016 State of North American\u2019s Birds\u2019 Watch list. Contrasting to many other bird species, removal of trees for human development projects can increase the amount of forest edge, which improves chickadees habitat. However, they can suffer if too many dead trees are removed for their habitat zones due to it being their choice of nesting site. (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Black-Capped Chickadee rates a 7 on the Conservation Concern scale (Photo from StateOfTheBirds.org<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Black-capped chickadees are very easy to attract to backyards. Suet, sunflower seeds, and peanuts are the best ways to bring these little guys closer. When there is plenty of food to go around, they will hide pieces over its territory for when food is scarcer, or for a midnight snack! They have an amazing memory and can remember where they hid their food for up to 28 days (Hinterland Who’s Who, 2003<\/a>)\u2026so much for bird brained! In some cases, black-capped chickadees will actually come and eat from a persons hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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