Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadee

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A southeastern counterpart to the more widespread Black-capped Chickadee, the Carolina Chickadee lives only in the United States. The two species are similar in appearance and social behavior, but the Carolina is slightly smaller and more dully colored.

Description

• Small, short-billed bird.
• Black cap.
• Black bib.
• White cheeks.

• Size: 10-12 cm (4-5 in)
• Wingspan: 15-20 cm (6-8 in)
• Weight: 8-12 g (0.28-0.42 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike.

Sound

Calls suggest name: "chick-a-dee-dee." Song is whistled four to six notes with first and third higher in pitch, second and fourth lower, "fee-bee-fee-bay."

Conservation Status

Shows slight, but significant population decreases across range.

Other Names

Mésange minime, Mésange de Caroline (French)
Paro enmascarado carolinense (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Go here to take a look at what goes on inside a chickadee nestbox, through the help of a Nest Box Cam provided by The Birdhouse Network at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
• Where the two species ranges come in contact, the Carolina and Black-capped chickadees occasionally hybridize. Hybrids can sing the songs of either species, or might sing something intermediate.

• In winter, Carolina Chickadees live in flocks of two to eight birds and defend areas against other flocks. Dominant birds in these flocks establish breeding territories in the summer that were part of the winter flock's range.

• The pair bond between a male and female Carolina Chickadee can remain intact for several years. The probability that a pair will remain together seems to vary among populations, with nearly all pairs remaining together in subsequent years in a study in Texas, but only half staying together in a study in Tennessee. If a nest attempt fails, a female may seek out a new male on a different territory.

Sources used to construct this page:

Mostrom, A. M., R. L. Curry, and B. Lohr. 2002. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis).In The Birds of North America, No. 636 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.