Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)

Black-capped Chickadee Parus atricapillus

TAXONOMY:

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Parus
species: atricapillus

MORPHOLOGY:

Adult: The crown and the throat are black an the cheek is white in color. The flanks on the ventral side are a reddish-brown color. The greater coverts have white edges. The bill is black in color.
Immature:

FOOD: eats seeds, insects, and berries.

MATING SYSTEM: monogamous.

BREEDING SYSTEM:

Where Breeds: Breeds in deciduous and coniferous forests (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Nest: The nest is excavated in rotten wood, decayed birch or pine stump, or an existing cavity may be enlarged (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). They may use an old woodpecker nest or a nest-box (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is usually found 4-10 ft. high (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The cavity is excavated by both sexes and tends to be 8-9 inches deep and 2-3 inches wide in which they add a moss base (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is a cup of plant down, fibers, hair, wool, feathers, and spiders' cocoons (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). It takes from 7-10 days to excavate the cavity and 3-4 days to build the nest (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Breeding Season: The breeding season begins in early April in the south of its range and in mid-May in the north of its range (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). This species is single-brooded (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Eggs: There are between 6 and 8 eggs laid in a clutch (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eggs are short subelliptical in shape and white to creamy-white in background color (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eggs are finely speckled reddish-brown or purplish-brown in color, and it is concentrated at the larger end of the egg (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The average size of an egg is 15 X 12 mm (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Incubation: The incubation period last from 12 to 13 days and is done by the female (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Nestling: The young are born altricial and downy, with the down being pale brownish-gray in color (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The mouth is pale yellow and the gape flanges are ivory in color of the young (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The young fledge from the nest after 16 days from hatching and are tended by both parents while in the nest (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).

MIGRATION STATUS IN WISCONSIN:
The black-capped chickadee is a resident species.

REFERENCES:
Baicicich, P.J. and Harrison, C.J.O. 1997. A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, 2nd edition. Academic Press: San Diego.

Stokes, D.W. and Stokes, L.Q. 1996. Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region. Little, Brown and Co.: Boston.

Last Updated: March 27, 2005

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