Black-capped chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory, North American passerine bird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests.

Family: Paridae Order: passerines Conservation: Least Concern

About the Black-capped chickadee

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory, North American passerine bird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests. It is a member of the Paridae family, also known as tits. It has a distinct black cap on its head, a black bib underneath, and white cheeks. It has a white belly, buff sides, and grey wings, back, and tail. The bird is well known for its vocalizations, including its fee-bee song and its chick-a-dee-dee-dee call, from which it derives its name. The black-capped chickadee is widely distributed throughout North America, ranging from the northern United States to southern Canada and all the way up to Alaska and Yukon. It feeds primarily on insects and seeds, and is known for its ability to cache food for use during the winter. The hippocampus of t

Fun Facts About Black-capped chickadee

They lay on average 6–8 eggs, which hatch after 11–14 days.
The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory, North American passerine bird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests.
Juveniles fledge 12–16 days after hatching.
The population of black-capped chickadees is thought to be increasing, and they are considered a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The black-capped chickadee is a social bird and forms strict dominance hierarchies within its flock.

Conservation Status

The Black-capped chickadee is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is currently stable and not at significant risk of population decline.

View on IUCN Red List →

Taxonomy & Classification

Order	passerines
Family	Paridae
Genus	Poecile
Species	Poecile atricapillus

Range & Habitat