Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus)
Boreal Chickadee

Boreal Chickadee

Poecile hudsonicus

The Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) is a diminutive songbird, a member of the tit family Paridae. It is characterized by its grey-brown upperparts, a distinctive brown cap, and greyish wings and tail. The face is primarily grey with white accents, while the underparts are white with brown flanks and a striking black throat. This bird measures between 12.5 to 14.5 cm in length and weighs a mere 7 to 12.4 grams. It possesses a short dark bill, short wings, and a long notched tail, with a flight pattern that includes brief glides interspersed with rapid, bouncy wing beats.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Boreal Chickadee, look for its brown cap and black throat, which contrast with the grey face and white sides. The bird's notched tail and short wings are also key features. In flight, observe the alternating pattern of gliding and flapping.

Habitat

This species is at home in the boreal forests, a realm of coniferous trees stretching across Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States.

Distribution

The Boreal Chickadee is a year-round resident of its boreal forest range, with occasional winter movements to the south becoming increasingly rare.

Behaviour

Boreal Chickadees are known to form monogamous pairs that may last a lifetime, staying within their breeding range throughout the year. They exhibit complex vocal communications and engage in food storage behaviors to prepare for the harsh winter months.

Song & Calls

The Boreal Chickadee's vocal repertoire includes a husky "tsee-day-day" and a high-pitched trill, "dididididididi," which varies in note-type categories. These calls serve various purposes, from mating displays to territorial defense.

Breeding

Breeding occurs in coniferous woods, with the season stretching from early May to the end of August. Nests are typically excavated holes in trees, lined with hair, fur, or dead plants. Clutches consist of five to seven white eggs, speckled with fine reddish-brown spots.

Diet and Feeding

These birds glean insects from conifer branches and bark and forage for conifer seeds, which they may store in preparation for winter. They forage primarily in black spruce, white spruce, and tamarack trees, often in small flocks that may include other small bird species.

Conservation status

The Boreal Chickadee is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, it faces threats from clearcutting and logging practices that reduce mature forest habitats in boreal regions.

Similar Species

The Boreal Chickadee can be distinguished from similar species by its brown cap, black throat, and the specific habitat it occupies, which differs from the habitats preferred by other chickadees.

Predators

Predators of the Boreal Chickadee include small owls, hawks, shrikes, and various tree-climbing mammals that may prey on eggs and nestlings.

Taxonomy

Formerly classified within the genus Parus, the Boreal Chickadee is now placed in the genus Poecile, reflecting more accurately its evolutionary relationships. It is closely related to the Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens).

Boreal Chickadee Sounds

β€Œ
Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Boreal Chickadees on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Tits, Chickadees

A photo of a Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)

Black-crested Titmouse

Baeolophus atricristatus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❀️
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.