Species · GBIF taxon 2487805
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillusThese energetic little songbirds are famous for their remarkable memory, caching thousands of seeds and insects each autumn and recalling their exact locations months later. During harsh winter nights, they lower their body temperature into a state of regulated hypothermia to conserve vital energy. Their complex chick-a-dee call communicates specific information about nearby threats, with additional dee syllables signaling higher levels of danger.
ActiveVocalSocial
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Caterpillars
- Spiders
- Conifer Seeds
Predators
- Domestic Cats
- Sharp-shinned Hawks
- Eastern Screech-Owls
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, domestic cat predation, and pesticide use
HabitatsDeciduous and mixed forests, suburban parks, and backyard gardens
Life span2 to 12 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyParidae
- SpeciesPoecile atricapillus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Backyard Feeders: Offer black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet to easily attract them.
- Listen Closely: Count the dee notes in their call to gauge their alarm level.
- Patience: Stand still with seed in your hand; they are bold enough to land on fingers.
Frequent Companion 
Frequent Companion (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Frequent Companion "Male Downy Woodpecker" by ShenandoahNPS is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
Close Relative (c) Dan Pancamo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Ron Knight, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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