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Black-capped Chickadee Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay Library Missouri, May 04, 1997

Song
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Alberta, February 23, 1977Recorded by William W. H. Gunn | Macaulay Library
Calls and song
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Alberta, February 23, 1977Recorded by William W. H. Gunn | Macaulay Library
Calls
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New York, July 09, 1988Recorded by Gregory F Budney | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

In most of North America, the song is a simple, pure 2 or 3-note whistled fee-bee or hey, sweetie. In the Pacific Northwest, the song is 3 or 4 notes on the same pitch; the song is also different on Martha's Vineyard in MA. In much of the range, males begin singing in mid-January, and the song increases in frequency as winter progresses. Females also sing occasionally.

Calls

Chickadees make their chickadee-dee-dee call using increasing numbers of dee notes when they are alarmed. They also have a gargling call, often given aggressively when a lower-ranking bird gets close to a higher-ranking one; also exchanged between members of a pair. Black-capped Chickadees make a high pitched see as a high-intensity alarm call, often when a fast-approaching predator is detected. When chickadees hear this call, they freeze in position until they hear a chickadee-dee call signifying “all clear.” High see calls most often given by males.

Other Sounds

Chickadee nestlings make an explosive hiss and slap the inside of their nest cavity when an intruder looks in.

Compare with Similar Species

Click on an image to compare

Carolina Chickadee Adult is similar to Black-capped Chickadee

Carolina Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee Adult is similar to Black-capped Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

Boreal Chickadee Adult is similar to Black-capped Chickadee

Boreal Chickadee

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Adult is similar to Black-capped Chickadee

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch Adult is similar to Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

Blackpoll Warbler Breeding male is similar to Black-capped Chickadee

Blackpoll Warbler

Species in This Family

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Paridae)

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Boreal Chickadee

Boreal Chickadee

Bridled Titmouse

Bridled Titmouse

Juniper Titmouse

Juniper Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Tufted Titmouse

Black-crested Titmouse

Black-crested Titmouse

Browse Species in This Family

More to Read

Project FeederWatch
How to Tell a Black-capped Chickadee from a Carolina Chickadee
NestWatch
Build a Nest Box for Black-capped Chickadees
Living Bird Magazine
Some Chickadees Are Bilingual—But Why?

Living Bird Magazine
Look out! The Backyard Bird Alarm Call Network
Power Struggles Are Playing Out at Your Feeder—Here's What to Look For
Where Is That Bird Going With That Seed? It's Caching Food for Later

Black-capped Chickadee

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Maps
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