Boreal Chickadee

The Boreal Chickadee is a hardy inhabitant of the vast northern spruce-fir forest, distinguished from the more familiar Black-capped Chickadee by its warm brown cap (rather than black), grayish-brown back, and rich chestnut-brown wash along the flanks. The face shows a grayish cheek patch and a black bib similar to other chickadees, but the overall tone is duller and browner.

This species is a true boreal specialist, generally shier and quieter than its more familiar relatives, and it is often detected by voice before being seen moving through dense conifer cover.

Key Field Marks

• Brown (not black) cap
• Grayish-brown back
• Rich chestnut-brown flanks
• Black throat bib and grayish cheek patch
• Duller, more subdued coloring overall than Black-capped Chickadee

Similar Species

• Black-capped Chickadee: has a solid black cap and lacks the chestnut flanks.
• Chestnut-backed Chickadee: has a chestnut back as well as flanks, and a smaller range confined to the Pacific coast.
• Mountain Chickadee: has a black cap with a white eyebrow stripe, unlike the Boreal Chickadee's plain brown cap.

Habitat

Boreal Chickadees inhabit dense boreal coniferous forest, particularly spruce and fir, including muskeg and bog-edge habitats across the north.

Range

The species ranges across the boreal forest belt of Canada and Alaska, dipping into the northernmost United States in states bordering Canada, such as Maine, Minnesota, and Montana.

Migration

Most Boreal Chickadees are non-migratory residents, though occasional irruptive movements bring small numbers slightly farther south in winters following poor cone crops.

Behavior

Boreal Chickadees are generally quieter, less bold, and more retiring than Black-capped Chickadees, foraging methodically in dense conifer foliage, often in small mixed flocks with kinglets and nuthatches.

Voice

The call is a slower, hoarser, more nasal "chick-a-day-day" compared to the crisp call of the Black-capped Chickadee; a true whistled song is rarely given.

Feeding

Diet includes insects and spiders gleaned from conifer needles and bark, plus conifer seeds, especially in winter; like other chickadees, they cache food for later use.

Nesting

Nests are built in cavities, often excavated by the birds themselves in soft, rotten wood of dead conifers or birch. Clutches typically hold 4-9 eggs.