Tiny, with a big head, a small bill, and a round belly. Similar to other chickadees, but with a chestnut back and sides.
Most have dark chestnut sides, but birds from the central California coast (from Marin County southward) have gray sides with limited chestnut toward the tail.
Rarely stands still even while perched as they are often twitching side to side. This video has no audio.
Active and acrobatic, clings to small limbs and twigs or hangs upside down from cones.
Individuals in California from Marin County south have grayish sides unlike those farther north that have chestnut sides. Note dark brown crown, which sometimes looks black.
Tiny bird with a descriptive name. Its dark brown crown, which sometimes appears black is set off by a white cheek.
Regularly visits bird feeders, eating peanuts, suet, black oil sunflower seeds, and more.
Click on an image to compare
Tiny, large-headed but small-billed, with a rather long, narrow tail and short, rounded wings.
The smallest, shortest-tailed chickadee
sparrow-sized or smallerChestnut-backed Chickadees have dark chestnut flanks over most of their range, but birds from the central California coast (from Marin County southward) have gray flanks with limited chestnut toward the tail.
Need Bird ID Help? Try Merlin
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.
