Mountain Chickadee

Parus gambeli

Mountain Chickadees are seen flitting among trees, constantly gleaning insects. They seem friendly and curious. The chickadees remain in mountains during the winter, moving down slope during storms and back up again as the storm leaves. During winter they rove in bands, forming small flocks of 3 to 5 birds. You can often see them along the concrete ramp. They remain in Long Valley during the winter.

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Description:

Mountain Chickadees are small birds with a total length of 5-6 inches (13-15 cm). The body is gray and white with black cap and bib. There is a thin white line over the eyes. Both the feet and bill are black.

Voice:

Song is 3-4 whistled notes—feebee-feebee, tsee-dee-dee, tee-dee-dee; call includes a chickadee-deedee.

Food:

Primarily they eat insects, arthropods and spider eggs. They may also eat small fruit and seeds. Their slender, pointed bills are used to probe crevices of tree bark. They find sufficient food during winter by eating dormant insects and insect eggs.

Nest:

They usually nest in a natural tree cavity or an old woodpecker hole, about 5-15 feet above ground. Nest is lined with wood chips, hair and feathers. Clutch of 7-9 white eggs hatch in about 14 days. Birds fledge in another 17-20 days. Adults remain paired for life and normally occupy the same territory year after year.

Habitat:

Open coniferous forests in high altitude mountains.

Range:

The Mountain Chickadee is found in the mountains of southwest Canada and the western United States.

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Photo Courtesy of Tom Grey