Black-capped Chickadee (also known simply as chickadee)

The Black-capped Chickadee is a cheerful, energetic little songbird with a distinctive black cap and bib, white cheeks, and soft grey upperparts. Known for its namesake chick-a-dee-dee-dee alarm call, it is a quintessential backyard bird across North America.

Soft greyish-white base with a distinctive dark grey to black tip and yellowish-buff warmth along the margins

Fluffy, plumulaceous base transitioning to a slightly more pennaceous tip, lacking rigid interlock at the base

Soft, downy, and matte in appearance, providing insulation rather than aerodynamic function

Tiny size, soft fluffy texture, contrasting dark grey/black tip, and pale grey-to-buff body coloration

Deciduous and mixed forests, open woods, willow groves, parks, and suburban backyard feeders

Widespread across northern and eastern North America, from Alaska across Canada down into the northern United States

Important insect predator keeping pest populations in check and a vital prey species for small hawks and owls

Boreal Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, and Tufted Titmouse feathers can be very similar and difficult to distinguish without location context

Chickadees can hide thousands of seeds each autumn and remember where they stored them using an enlarged hippocampus region in the brain.

Good condition, slightly ruffled but intact barb structure with minimal wear