Carolina Chickadee Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  This tiny, approachable bird has a short neck and large head, giving it a distinctive spherical body shape. Its tail is fairly long and narrow. Its bill is a bit thicker than a warbler’s but thinner than a finch’s.

  Relative Size

  Smaller than a White-breasted Nuthatch

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 3.9-4.7 in (10-12 cm)
    • Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (8-12 g)
    • Wingspan: 5.9-7.9 in (15-20 cm)

  © Alberto Lopez Torres / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Carolina Chickadees have a black cap and bib separated by stark white cheeks. The back, wings, and tail are soft gray.

• Behavior

  Inquisitive and acrobatic. Except in the breeding season, associates with other Carolina Chickadees and a variety of other small species in feeding flocks that roam within a fairly large area. Despite being a flocking species, they normally space themselves fairly widely while eating.
• Habitat

  Forested areas or urban and suburban yards or parks with large trees.