Black-capped Chickadee -- Poecile atricapilla -- South Dakota Birds
| Black-capped Chickadee | Length: 5.5 inches | Wingspan: 8 inches | Seasonality: All Seasons |
| Identification Keys (both sexes): Black cap and bib, white cheeks, gray back, buff wash on sides. | |||
Black-capped
Chickadees are a very common permanent
resident across the state. They often associate in winter flocks with an
assortment of white-breasted nuthatches, kinglets, and brown creepers.
Chickadees are often one of the few signs of bird life in otherwise barren
forests in the winter.
Habitat: Forest and woodlands, groves, shade trees, residential areas, parks. Primarily found in deciduous or mixed forest, not pure conifer stands.
Diet: Mostly insects, seeds, and berries. Mostly insects in the summer.
Behavior: Forages by hopping from branch to branch, sometimes hanging upside down as it scours surfaces for food items. They will sometimes cache food for later retrieval and consumption.
Nesting: Late April through mid-July
Breeding Map: Breeding bird survey map
Song: Click to listen to Black-capped Chickadee Song, also Black-capped Chickadee Call
Migrations: Generally non-migratory
Similar Species: Mountain Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee
Feeders: Nuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter.
Birdhouses: Will nest in birdhouses designed for Chickadees.
Status: Numbers are generally thought to be stable. However, there are some indications that West Nile virus has taken a heavy toll on Black-capped Chickadee populations in some regions.
Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Black-capped Chickadee
2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Black-capped Chickadee"
3) eNature.com: Black-capped Chickadee
Photo Information: November 7th, 2007 -- Big Sioux Recreation Area near Brandon -- Terry L. Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Black-capped Chickadee photos.
|
|
| South Dakota Status: Common permanent resident throughout the state. |
| Additional Black-capped Chickadee Photos | ||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
| Black-capped Chickadee 1 | Black-capped Chickadee 2 | Black-capped Chickadee 3 |
![]() |
||
| Black-capped Chickadee 5 | ||
| Return to Species Page |
| Return to Main Page |
Range Map Reference: NatureServe
Click here for other references used to compile this page
Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl
This page was last edited on 01/26/08