Aug 30, 2017 | Featured in: Watching Backyard Birds, August 2017

Carolina or Black-capped?

Left: Black-capped chickadee. Right: Carolina chickadee.
Share:

Are the chickadees at your feeder Carolina or black-capped? Carolina and black-capped chickadees are nearly identical. Carolinas are found primarily in the Southeast, while the range of the black-capped extends from northern Alaska to northern New Mexico, across the Great Plains, through the Great Lakes area into New England and eastern Canada. Black-cappeds also dominate in the highest elevations of the Appalachian mountains, while Carolinas are found in lower elevations nearby. Carolinas are slightly smaller than black-cappeds, and have less white on the edges of their wings. In general, black-cappeds appear brighter and fluffier than Carolinas. Unfortunately, where the ranges of the two species meet, hybrids occur and appear intermediate in size and color. If you live safely in the zone of one species or the other, observe your local chickadees carefully. The next time you are in the range of the other species, see if you can see the differences. There are several other chickadee species in North America, including mountain (in the West), chestnut-backed (in the Pacific Northwest), and boreal (in the North), but these are distinct from their cousins.

Did you know that Watching Backyard Birds is the only magazine in North America devoted entirely to backyard birds? Subscribe today and receive a heaping helping of backyard content year-round! »



What do you think? Tell us!

comments powered by Disqus

New On This Site

The Latest Comments

  • Re: How do Birds Keep Warm in Cold Winter Weather?
    I understand that the ducks' blood vessel arrangement in their feet is to provide the benefits of the counter-current heat exchanger mechanism; returning cold venous blood from the feet is warmed by the descending warm arterial blood, preventing excess heat loss by the feet and avoiding cold blood from chilling the body. This means that the feet are cold, not warm.
    by Frank Barch, Sat, 02 Jan 2021
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have the same situation. The feeder is attached to the middle of a large picture window that goes ceiling to floor w/ no ledge or sill for animals to climb or balance. Yet every morning all the sunflower seeds have been cracked open and hulls left. Any ideas what it is?
    by Liza Fox, Sun, 15 Nov 2020
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have a bird feeder that sticks to my window and I've been hearing noises against the window at night right now its going on. But whatever it is it is aware of me. And when I get to window it leaves.I can't imagine a squirrel or mouse or possom being able to get at it. ...So as I was reading this article im to assume no bird eats at night. Or no birds will eat at night. Why is that? Then im also thinking of a sinereo that could a lost confused bird eat at night. This eating thing is watching meI turn out the light go there noise dissappears..Thank you.
    by Nosferatu, Thu, 05 Nov 2020
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have metal baffles (cones) on my pole for my bird feeders. Something is still tempting them at night. What else could it be? Deer???
    by Ella Spencer Connolly, Thu, 27 Aug 2020
  • Re: Only True Love Stills the Mockingbird » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I found where he lives, then I keep him up all day by singing at full volume! Hah, that'll show the little sucker!
    by Pike Juan, Tue, 11 Aug 2020