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Black-capped Chickadee

Status Common resident. Breeds. This familiar bird is present throughout the year and evenly distributed over the province. The winter population varies from year to year, fall emigration presumably being more pronounced in some years than in others. It is seen in the vicinity of towns and settled areas more in winter than in summer; the winter feeding stations provided by householders undoubtedly encourage this pattern.

Description Length: 12-14 cm. Adults: Entire top of head and throat black; sides of head white; back bluish gray; wings and tail feathers delicately margined with white; breast and belly white; sides buff.

Breeding Nest: In holes in dead trees, usually not over 3 m up. Nest boxes are rarely used. The nest cavity is lined with soft, dry moss, on which is placed a thick layer of matted small-mammal fur: rarely, plant down is used, presumably when fur is not available. Nests are most often in open woodland regions but sometimes close to human dwellings. Eggs: 5-9, usually 7 or 8; white, spotted with bright cinnamon brown. On 4 May 1913 near Wolfville, one was busily excavating its nest. On 12 May 1918 at Black River, Kings County, one was seen carrying lining for the nest. Laying begins about mid-May. On 21 May 1913 at Albany, Annapolis County, a nest 1 m up in a dead birch stub contained seven fresh eggs, and on 26 May 1915 at Margaretsville, Annapolis County, a nest 3 m up in a dead birch contained eight fresh eggs. On 10 June 1917 at Sunken Lake, Kings County, a nest held newly hatched young. I have no evidence that more than a single brood is raised, but if the first nest is destroyed the pair will try again.

Range Breeds from Newfoundland, central Manitoba, southeastern Mackenzie Valley and central Alaska, south to northern NewJersey, Indiana and northwestern California. Winters in most of its breeding range.

Remarks This bird's common call proclaims its identity: chik-a-dee-dee. It has another call, heard more frequently in spring, a sweet two-toned whistle, fiee-bee, given slowly and deliberately on a descending scale. This note should not be mistaken for that of a Phoebe, which does not whistle but merely utters fee-be explosively, with a strong accent on the first syllable.

The only species in Nova Scotia with which the Black-capped Chickadee might be confused is the Boreal Chickadee, but the latter has a brown instead of black cap and its general colouring is more brownish than grayish.

The Black-capped Chickadee is a favourite about feeding stations in winter. The acrobatic feats it performs when feeding provide endless amusement, and the trust it displays in sometimes alighting on the hand that feeds it endears it to all so favoured.

Birds are sometimes thirsty, even in winter. A row of icicles of varying sizes hung from the roof of my kitchen porch. Despite the cold of a normal day in February, the warmth of the noontime sun on the ice formation made drops of water slowly form and fall at regular intervals. A Black-capped Chickadee appeared from nowhere, hovered hummingbird-like at the tip of the icicle long enough to suck in a single drop of water as it formed and then flew off.