This is a large chickadee of the northern forests. It has a brown cap and back, black bib, and reddish-brown sides and flanks. Unlike other chickadees, the white on the cheeks is limited, dulling to gray on the auriculars. The wings and tail are plain gray, without the white feather edges seen on Gray-headed Chickadee.

Length: 13 (cm) Wingspan: 20 (cm)

Voice:

Call is a buzzy chick-a-dee, slower and more wheezy than the call of Black-capped Chickadee. This is the only chickadee to give a single dee note. Song is a clear trill.

Habitat:

Coniferous forest

Behavior:

Stores food items by securing them in bark crevices with saliva and spider webbing. Winter flocks can appear quite tame, but breeding pairs are reclusive.

Feeding:

Feeds on seeds and insects.