Black-capped chickadee
| Black-capped chickadee | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | Poecile
|
| Binomial name | |
| Poecile atricapillus Linnaeus 1766
| |
The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a passerine songbird of the family Paridae. It lives in Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. This is a small, common bird which sings a simple song.
Appearance
[change | change source]The bird is about 12–15 cm (5–6 in) long and weighs 9-15 g (0.32-0.49 oz).[1]
The male and female black-capped chickadees look the same.[1] The black-capped chickadee has black and white on its head. The top of the head and throat are black, and the sides are white. It has a short, black beak.
The back of the bird is gray. The front of the body is white and light brown. The bird has short wings and a short tail.
Song
[change | change source]The song of the black-capped chickadee is a clear whistle.
Behavior
[change | change source]In the summer, the birds eat many insects. In the winter, they eat seeds and berries. They will hide seeds in different places and return later to eat them.[1] When two chickadees want to build a nest, they use a hole in a tree.
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 All about birds: black-capped chickadee, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.