The Black Capped Chickadee State Birds (week 9)

Wow I can hardly believe it is Friday already. I have not posted the state bird for this week so I better get it done now. The Black Capped Chickadee (or Titmouse) is my favorite bird; at least that is what I am thinking today. The Chickadee is a friendly little flyer that swoops into the feeders, grabs some seeds, and heads off to his branch where he cracks the shell or simply eats his seed and does it all over again.


The Chicadee is the hero of the woods; there are courage and good nature enough in that compact little body, which you may hide in your fist, to supply a whole groveful of May songsters. He has the Spartan virtue of an eagle, the cheerfulness of a thrush, the nimbleness of Cock Sparrow, the endurance of the seabirds condensed into his tiny frame, and there have been added a pertness and ingenuity all his own. His curiosity is immense, and his audacity equal to it; I have even had one alight upon the barrel of the gun over my shoulder as I sat quietly under his tree.- ERNEST INGERSOLL.


The Chickadee is the state bird for two states, both of which are on the east coast; Massachusetts, and Maine. The Chickadee is a pudgy little bird with a black cap, black bib and white cheeks. The males, females, and the juveniles all look the same, the only exception is that the males are a little larger. Their primary food sources are insects and seeds. The will gladly eat from feeders that you have set out and are around all winter.


Black Capped Chickadees are cavity nesters, which means that they will live in the cavities  of rotted trees or even in the holes that woodpeckers chip out. They will also nest in Bluebird houses, but will not sit on top of the house and let all of the other birds know that this is his property. If a Chickadee chips away at a crevice to make a home he will carry the wood chips away so his dwelling is not obvious to other birds. Have you ever seen a tree that a woodpecker has chipped at? There are wood chips all over the ground underneath the cavity, the Chickadee will clean up his mess.


Chickadees live year round in the northern half of the U.S., most all of Canada, and into parts of Alaska. They are very sturdy little birds that are able to withstand the cold by lowering their body temperature at night to conserve energy. In what seems like the cold silence of winter this cheerful little bird has a very welcomed song; "chick-a-dee-dee-dee". When Spring is approaching they will sing their Spring song; "fee-bee, feeee-beee".


I love this bird, it makes me happy.


Check this out:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-capped_Chickadee/id