The boreal chickadee is a small passerine bird with a brown cap instead of black. These birds live in the forests of Canada and the northern United States. For birdwatchers, it’s very hard to see them without taking a tour to Canada or Alaska.
The boreal chickadee has a gray-brown body with a brown cap. The tail and wings are grayish. The face of this bird is gray with white sides. The throat is black, the underparts are white, and the brown flanks. Boreal chickadee also has short wings, dark bill, and long tail.
Scientific Information
Common Name
Boreal Chickadee
Scientific Name
Poecile hudsonicus
Family
Paridae
Type
Birds
Size
Length: 5 – 5.5 inches
If it’s not a nesting season, these birds can be found with other similar species like kinglets. They cache seeds and insects in summer and fall to help them get through the long winter.
During the nesting season, this species is quieter and more inconspicuous than the other species of chickadee. That’s the prime time for birders to search for them. The boreal chickadee is an excessively elusive bird.
4 Facts About Boreal Chickadee
The boreal chickadee has many nicknames such as Chick Chick, Filladay, and Tom-tit.
There can be a difference of 150° F between the chickadee’s core temperature and winter air temperature in Alaska.
The average lifespan of the boreal chickadee is nearly 4 years. But the age of the oldest bird of this species was 8.5 years old.
Just like other chickadees, they hide food in multiple locations.
Standard Measurements
Length
5 – 5.5 in (130 – 140 mm)
Weight
10 g (0.35 oz)
Wingspan
8.25 in (210 mm)
Wing
2.49 – 2.61 in (63.2 – 66.2 mm)
Tail
2.32 – 2.59 in (59 – 65.9 mm)
Culmen
0.30 – 0.39 in (7.6 – 9.8 mm)
Tarsus
0.63 – 0.69 in (16 – 17.5 mm)
Where Do Boreal Chickadee Live?
This species is one of the few songbird species found in boreal forests of Canada and the United States. Boreal Chickadee is common in balsam fir, black spruce, and coniferous forests. These birds lack a sweet and whistled song.
These species can be found from 180 to 1500 m in elevations. They mostly use the areas dominant by alder and willow in Alaska. They form a flock of 6 to 12 chickadees and move along their feeding ranges of about 40 acres.
Poecile hudsonicus Food
Seeds and insects (including larvae) are the main part of their diet. These birds mostly use older trees, when feeding in spruces. They also extract the seed from deciduous trees like birches.
Poecile hudsonicus also loves to eat spiders, pupae, and eggs. In the nesting period, they tend to eat caterpillars and animal matter. Food storage points tend to be the underside of the branches for easy recovery in snow.
Backyard Tips to Attract Boreal Chickadee
Boreal chickadee attracted to the nest boxes filled with wood shavings. They also love to visit feeders full of sunflower seeds and peanuts. By putting nuts in feeders, you can attract more chickadees. Put up your nest boxes before the breeding season.
Poecile hudsonicus Nesting Facts
These birds may mate for life. The nest site is a natural cavity or woodpecker hole. They excavate the nest from 3 to 12 feet above the ground. Birds of both sexes contribute to forming a nest. Their nests usually have a side entrance, but most chickadees prefer top entrance holes.
The inner side of the nest build by females only. The size of the nest determines by the size of cavities. Mostly nest made up of bark, hair, fur, feathers, and dry moss.
Nesting Facts
Clutch Size
4 to 9 eggs
Number of Broods
1 Brood
Egg Length
1.5 – 1.7 cm (0.6 – 0.7 in)
Egg Width
1.1 – 1.3 cm (0.4 – 0.5 in)
Incubation Period
14 to 17 days
Behavior of Poecile hudsonicus
Boreal chickadee remains in their breeding range throughout the year. During the breeding season, males move around females and sing along. The male sometimes shakes their wings to attract the female for a mate. Pairs investigate several nesting locations before finalizing the nesting spot.
These birds don’t use their vocals to indicate their territory just like other types of chickadee. their territory can be spread over 13 acres. When they detect any intruder in their territory, they make gargling calls, chin-up motions. In non-breeding season u can find a single bird. But in the breeding season, they move in flocks of 4 to 10 birds.
Boreal Chickadee Voice
The common call of the boreal chickadee is husky tsik-a-dee-dee. It’s harsher and lazier than the one variant of black-capped chickadee call.
Conservation of Poecile hudsonicus
For the birdwatcher, it is very difficult to see boreal chickadee due to its northerly range.
According to North American Breeding Bird Survey, the population of this species appears to be stable. The total population of the boreal chickadee is 12 million with a 38% increase between 1970 – 2017.
Conclusion:
We have discussed this bird in detail with images. please share your experience after reading this article. We will be glad to know about your experience & knowledge with the Boreal chickadee as well.
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