Species Specifics: Carolina Chickadee

This friendly and curious little bird speaks its own name?chick-a-dee-dee-dee! The Chickadee is one of the least timid birds in the backyard; they are often the first visitors to new feeders and the easiest bird to tame to hand feeding! There are 7 species of Chickadees in North America: Black-capped, Carolina, Boreal, Chestnut-backed, Mountain, Mexican, Gray-headed. Only the Carolina is found in the Cincinnati area; the range of the Black-capped starts just north of Columbus. The chick-a-dee call of both species is similar but the male’s song differs: the Black-capped song is a two-note fee-bee; the Carolina’s is four notes -- fee-bee fee-bay.

The 4¾" Carolina Chickadee has a black cap, black bib, white cheek and gray shoulder feathers. They are year round residents of mixed forest, open woodlands, and suburban areas. The Chickadee’s diet consists primarily of protein matter: insects, larvae, and insect egg cases. During the summer months they rid our yards of destructive small caterpillars?their favorite food! Seeds and nuts make up about 20% of the Chickadee’s summer diet and 50% of its winter diet. Chickadees will visit your backyard feeding station in search of black oil sunflower seed, safflower seed, peanuts, and suet. To keep warm on an icy, cold winter day, Chickadees will eat over 250 seeds!
They are what I call “snatch and run” feeders - they come in, grab one seed, fly off to a nearby branch, place the seed under their feet, and hammer it open with their bills.

Breeding Chickadees will utilize nest boxes or tree cavities; they are capable of excavating their own nest hole in soft, rotting wood. Both male and female will construct the loose, cushiony nest of moss, plant fibers and feathers. The female alone incubates 6-8 eggs for about 12 days during which time the male feeds her. Both male and female feed the babies during the 2½ weeks they are in the nest and continue doing so for about 10 days after they fledge. Chickadees can live about 11 years; the average life span in the wild is just 2½ years.