Mountain Chickadee

Features a distinctive white eyebrow (supercilium) stripe above a black cap and black throat, contrasting sharply with grey back, wings, and tail, and whitish underparts with buffy flanks. Sexes are visually similar, and juveniles have slightly duller plumage.

White eyebrow stripe above the black cap, black bib, grey upperparts, and pale flanks.

Length: 12-14 cm (4.7-5.5 in), Wingspan: 19-22 cm (7.5-8.7 in), Weight: 9-14 g (0.3-0.5 oz)

The song is a clear, three-note descending whistle 'fee-bee-fee-bee' or 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee' alarm call, though the chick-a-dee call is slightly higher-pitched and harsher than that of the Black-capped Chickadee.

Insects, spiders, seeds, and berries. Forages industriously by gleaning from foliage, bark crevices, and cones, often storing food in caches for later use.

Primarily high-elevation coniferous forests, including pine, fir, and spruce woods, as well as mixed woodlands and sometimes pinyon-juniper areas.

Permanent resident, though some high-elevation populations may make short-range altitudinal movements down to lower valleys during harsh winters.

Nests in natural tree cavities or old woodpecker holes, sometimes excavating their own in rotting wood. Lays a clutch of 5 to 9 white eggs with reddish-brown spots, incubated primarily by the female.

Black-capped Chickadee, which lacks the prominent white eyebrow stripe above the black cap.

Acts as an important predator of forest insects, helping to control pest populations. They also cache seeds, contributing to forest regeneration.

Least Concern, with stable populations.

Easily attracted to backyard bird feeders offering sunflower seeds, suet, or peanuts. Listen for their distinctive hoarse call to locate them in coniferous or mixed forests.

Mountain Chickadees have remarkable spatial memory, allowing them to relocate thousands of individual food items they hide in scattered cache sites during the autumn.