ID Keys: Grayish overall, lacking the buffy blanks of other
Chickadees, large black bib, black cap, white face.
The
Mexican Chickadee is well named, with a range that covers much of the
mountainous areas of western Mexico. Their range just extends into the
United States in extreme southern Arizona and New Mexico. The Mexican
Chickadee is similarly sized and structured as many other North American
Chickadee species, but can be readily identified by their overall gray
plumage, with a lack of warmer, buffier tones on their flanks, such as found
on many other Chickadee species.
Habitat
Found in montane coniferous forest,
although they may move into lower elevation mixed or deciduous forests at
times, particularly in the winter.
Diet
Feeds on insects and spiders, but may also
feed on seeds.
Behavior
Forages by moving actively through
vegetative foliage, hopping about, and sometimes hanging upside down from a
branch while they feed. They may also sometimes hover while they glean
insects from foliage.
Nesting
The nest of a Mexican Chickadee is in a
tree cavity, with the birds excavating their own cavity or enlarging an
existing natural cavity. They may also modify an old woodpecker hole,
or may use nest boxes. The nesting cavity is lined with moss and
strips of soft bark. The female lays between 5 and 8 eggs, and she
alone incubates them. When the eggs hatch, the female initially tends
to the young while the male feeds the family, but the female also soon
leaves the nest site and begins to gather food.
Song
The song of a Mexican Chickadee is a series
of multiple short phrases.
Migration
Considered a permanent resident
throughout most of its normal range. Some birds that summer at higher
elevations likely move to lower elevations for the winter.
Similar in appearance to several
other Chickadee species, but the geographic ranges of most species do not
overlap with the Mexican Chickadee. The only species with any possible
overlap in range is the Mountain
Chickadee.
