A brown-capped chickadee of northern boreal forests. Among the few birds adapted to cold extremes of -40°F.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The boreal chickadee is a small passerine songbird in the tit family Paridae. It is found in the boreal forests of Alaska, Canada and the northern United States and remains within this range all year. This bird is known for its high pitched trill patterns used in communication with other birds and food storage habits in preparation for winter months.
Source: Wikipedia — Boreal chickadee Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Brown-capped chickadee with a brown back, gray cheeks, rich rufous-brown flanks, and a black bib.
Similar species. Black-capped and Carolina chickadees have black caps and gray backs; the brown cap and rusty flanks mark the Boreal.
Voice. A slow, wheezy, nasal 'tsik-a-day-day', huskier and slower than Black-capped.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects, seeds, occasional fruits; caches food in fall.
Behavior. A chickadee of remote northern spruce forest; caches food for winter and is far less inclined to visit feeders than other chickadees, making it hard to find.
§ Range
Boreal Canada, Alaska
§ Habitat
Coniferous and mixed boreal forests
§ Threats
Boreal forest loss, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the boreal chickadee is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support boreal forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Boreal chickadee
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Poecile hudsonicus
- IUCN Red List — search for Poecile hudsonicus
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Poecile hudsonicus
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
