Birds of Southern Ontario
The Black Capped Chickadee
An
all time favorite for
bird artists is
the delightful Black Capped chickadee, they
are often seen painted in winter scenes although they are year round
residents in many parts of the US and Canada including right here in
southern Ontario.
The
Black Capped chickadee is a frequent visitor to backyards and bird
feeders and can be seen flitting from tree to tree and branch to
branch as they do not stay in one place for very long.
They
are one
of the most commonest birds in North America but
on
the rare chance that someone has never seen one, they have big heads,
a black "beard", long tail for their small size, and a
whitish belly with a tinge of orange on the sides. Their
wings are grayish in appearance with
white along the edges.
This
small woodland
bird
likes to hang out in
small groups with
other chickadees
as
well as
other bird
species.
It is and
active little bird, somewhat
of an acrobat, it can sometimes be
seen perched upside down on a tree branch pecking away at a seed or
looking for insects in the bark of
a tree, making it a fun bird to watch.
It's flight is short and choppy and they are curious
and
not
afraid of getting
close people,
so don't be surprised if one whizzes past your shoulder. They
are also known for taking seeds from peoples' hands, though I myself
haven't had that experience but I hope to one of these days.
Black
Capped chickadees
are one of the easiest birds to attract to your yard, all you need is
a bird feeder filled with black oil sunflowers and they will be
flying back and forth from tree to feeder for more seeds. Chickadees
stay only long enough at the birdfeeder
to grab a seed and fly off into a tree, there they hold the seed
against the tree
branch
and break open the shell with their beak by pecking away at it as
their head bobs up and down.
As
with a lot of other birds that visit gardens, a yard with evergreen
trees provides shelter thus attracting not only chickadees but a host
of other birds as well which
can make for an interesting day of bird watching in the backyard.
Did You Know?
- Chickadees get their name from the
calls they produce although to me it just sounds like chattering.
-
- Black Capped chickadees can be found as
far north as Alaska. Talk about not minding the cold!
-
- Chickadees stash their food for later
and remember where they hid it, they hide in tree bark, under leaves
and any other hiding place they can find.
-
- Their nests are tree cavities or holes
they find, they either make the hole themselves or look for one
already there. They are also happy to use nestboxes.
-
- Chickadees are very social birds except
when it comes to breeding season at which time the males can become
very territorial.
-
- The most recognizable feature of the
Black Capped chickadee besides their seeming social nature is the
black beard or "bib" as it's called on their chin.
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