THE CHICKADEE
The amusing acrobat at the bird feeder!

The cheerful Chickadee with it's clear call of "Chickadee-dee-dee" is easy to spot, as this little bird is not shy and is easily enticed to the back garden bird feeder.

Their body feathers are buff and their black tail feathers are edged in white.

These small, active birds are attracted to your bird feeders with a mixed bird-seed, suet, sunflower seeds and peanuts.

We see them in our garden in both summer and winter as these birds are non-migratory and stay in this area all year long.

Black-Capped Chickadee (Wild Bird Guides)

In this area of Southern Ontario the Black Capped is the most familiar of the over 50 species of titmice and chickadees that live world-wide.

They are often found foraging in small flocks of between 12 and 20 birds, throughout woodlands or at back yard bird feeders.

They prefer evergreen woodland and can be attracted to your garden by plantings of coniferous trees such as Hemlock, Fir or Pine.

They like to feed on insects that they find under the bark of evergreen trees.

Their preferred nesting spot is in the cavities of trees, where they use cavities that already exist, perhaps made by wood-peckers or by a limb falling from a tree.

If there are no cavities available they will make one by digging their own hole in rotting wood.

The 6 to 8 small white eggs are incubated by the female and hatch in about 14 days, while the male brings his mate food.

Both parents work to raise their nestlings.

The babies are fledged and ready to leave the nest in about 16 days.

The nestlings stay with their parents for a further 3 to 4 weeks before they leave the nest completely to fend for themselves.

I'm told that these little birds are bold and will take a seed or nut from your hand if you stand quietly with your arms outstretched, although, I have never tried it.

It might work if you already have these birds coming to your bird feeder, so that they already expect there to be food and no enemies - I'm going to try it, so check back here and I'll let you know what happens!

Audubon Cedar Wren/Chickadee House (6.5" x 7.5" x 12.5")

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The photographs on this page are reproduced by kind permission of Mary A Wilson and Pete Lypkie.

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