The
black-capped chickadee (
Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory
passerine bird in the
tit family, Paridae. The species is native to North America, ranging from the northern United States to southern Canada and all the way up to
Alaska and
Yukon, living in deciduous and mixed forests. It has a distinct black cap on its head, a black bib underneath, and white cheeks. The black-capped chickadee has a white belly, buff sides, and grey wings, back, and tail. It is well known for its vocalizations, including its
fee-bee song and its
chick-a-dee-dee-dee call, from which it derives its name. The black-capped chickadee feeds primarily on insects and seeds, and is known for its ability to cache food for use during the winter. Its
hippocampus grows during the caching season, and is believed to help it better remember its cache locations. It builds nests in tree cavities, with the nesting season starting in late April and lasting until late June. This foraging black-capped chickadee was photographed in
Central Park, New York City.
Photograph credit: Rhododendrites
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