Black-Capped Chickadee
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The Black-Capped Chickadee, or Poecile atricapilla, is a member of the Paridae family. It is a small bird commonly found at feeders in Northern United States and Canada.
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[edit] Appearance
This chickadee has a black cap on its head, hence the name, a short black bill, and a black bib. It has white cheeks with gray upperparts and wings with white tips. Despite its small size, the Black-Capped Chickadee has a long tail. This bird's belly can be white or a light yellow. The legs and feet are black.
[edit] Habits
Black-Capped Chickadees are often seen in pairs or small groups. Many a chickadee actually join a flock or another species foraging for food. These birds are often seen hanging upside-down from branches searching for insects and their eggs. When it takes large seeds from feeders, it always holds the seed between its feet on a perch and pounds the seed coat open with its bill.
[edit] Feeding
The Black-Capped Chickadee feeds on insects, insect eggs, seeds, and bayberries. At feeders these birds eat sunflower seeds, doughnuts, and peanut butter-cornmeal mixtures. They are one of the most common birds found in the U.S. and Canada.
[edit] Nesting
The nest is built by both the male and female bird. It is made of vegetation, moss, feathers, hair, and insect cocoons. They can be found in a deciduous tree, conifer, snag, or a nest box 4-40 feet above ground. The female lays 5-10 white eggs with fine reddish-brown marks. The incubation, which is done by both sexes, lasts from 11-13 days. After they are hatched, the young stay in the nest from 14-18 days. They are fed by both sexes. Black-Capped Chickadees have 1 brood per year.
