Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadees are small, stockily-built passerine songbirds with short and strong beaks.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Passeriformes
Family	Paridae
Genus	Poecile
Species	Poecile gambeli

Quick Information

Similar Species	Black-capped Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Other Names	Mésange de Gambel (French), Carbonero ceja blanca (Spanish)
Size	13-15 cm (5-6 in)
Wingspan	Around 19 cm (7.5 in)
Weight	Around 11 g (0.4 oz)
Color	Pale gray with white cheeks, black throat, and crown; white eyebrows, pale gray flanks, gray wings and tail, grayish-black legs and feet, a white line over each eye; males, females, and young birds have similar plumage
Distribution	British Columbia, the Rocky Mountains, the cascade and the Sierra Nevada ranges, Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas
Habitat	Mountain forests, conifers and mixed woodlands at levels above 10,000 feet. They are generally non-migratory but, in winter when the food is scarce, these birds are forced to move to lower altitude and can be spotted at sea level, desert oasis, open woodlands and in riparian areas.
Nesting	Mid-June to late July
Sounds	Call: A hoarse chick – adee-dee-dee, a variety of buzzes and chips Song:  3 or 4 note descending whistle fee-bee-bay or fee-bee-fee-bee
Lifespan	Around 8 to 10 years
Diet	Feeds on insects including beetles, caterpillars, and spiders; also eats insect eggs and pupae; seeds, berries, and small fruits
Adaptations	An insulating layer of soft feathers protects it from cold weather, its waterproof contour feathers make it resistant to water
Clutch Size	7-9 eggs
Egg Size (approx)	Around 1.6 cm (0.6 inch)
Number of Broods	1-2
Incubation Period	Around 14 days
Predation and Competition	Hawks, owls and shrikes
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Behavior

These active foragers are insect gleaners and are also known to be very acrobatic, agile, and tree-loving. They often hang upside down to reach out to the underside of the branches, cones, and needles. They store food during the fall season and bank on those during winter when resources are usually scarce. They began to split into pairs during spring and in winter they flock with mixed-species birds.

Breeding and Nesting

They are monogamous in nature, and usually, bonds are long-term. They stick to their own territories during the breeding season.

Mountain Chickadees use tree cavities as their nesting sites. They also dig their own holes in rotten or soft wood. Both male and female take an active part in building the nest, which are made of moss, lichen, grasses and are lined with hair or fur.

Lifecycle

The male gathers food and feeds the female while she incubates the eggs. As the young birds emerge from their shells and start growing, the female joins the male in gathering food. Fledging takes place at about eighteen to twenty-one days, after which the young birds are ready to leave the nest. However, they remain under the care of their parents for another two to three weeks.

Interesting Facts

• Mountain Chickadees are referred to as Alzheimer’s birds because their call sounds as if they are uttering “all-zime-hers.” Interestingly, they are known for their forgetfulness.
• According to the Energetic Models, a half-ounce Mountain Chickadee requires ten calories of food in order to survive. This amounts to one-twentieth of an ounce of peanut butter.

References:

1. https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/mountain_chickadee.htm
2. http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/mountain_chickadee
3. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/mountain-chickadee/
4. http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/mountain-chickadee
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_chickadee