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By Jim Bywaters
Rappahannock News Writer
This small and perky bird is a familiar and welcome visitor to our backyard feeders and gardens. There are seven species in North America but the Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus) and the Carolina Chickadee (Parus carolinensis) are the two species we see frequently in our county- tyThe
Black-capped Chickadee lives in all northern and most middle states. Its black cap and bib, and white cheeks identify it, as does its "chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call. The Carolina Chickadee, which looks almost the same, lives in the southeast quarter of the U.S. and has a slightly higher, faster version of the call.
Chickadees are usually seen in pairs or small groups. When the young birds leave their nest in late summer, chickadees will form small flocks, often as many as a dozen birds. They will roost and forage together until spring.
They eat insects, seeds and berries. These active and entertaining little birds can be seen hanging upside down from twigs or at your feeder.
Pine seeds are an important natural food along with the seeds and nuts of hemlock, birch, pine, walnut, ragweed and sunflower.
Chickadees, as well as many other birds, frequent our feeders at this time of year. Finding food in the winter is often tough for our feathered friends. In order for a chickadee to survive a typical winter, and some don't, a chickadee needs to feed constantly.
Due to the shortened days during winter months chickadees are only able to put on enough reserve fat each day to last around 16 hours. Any more fat than that and they would be too fat to fly. As night approaches, each bird finds a small hole in a tree, a building, or even birdhouses left up year-round. The bird then settles down for the night.
During the night, the chickadee shivers to keep warm and by morning the chickadee's energy reserves are low and it needs to get out and eat to build up fat reserves, regardless of weather, in order to survive the next night.
Fortunately for the Chickadee, the small flocks they form in the spring provide several advantages at this time of year. Hunting food in a group increases their chances for success and also helps as a predator defense system. More eyes can look for and warn the group of approaching danger.
Most birds, especially the Chickadees, will favor black-oiled sunflower seed presented at your bird feeder. They will typically take one seed from the feeder, fly away and
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