Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Poecile rufescens

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Poecile

Audio for Species

Call
Song

from Macaulay Library

Species Related Links

Additional Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pictures

Description

Height: 3.9-4.7 in (10-12 cm) Weight: 0.2-0.4 oz (7-12 g) Wingspan: 7.5 in (19 cm)

The head of the Chestnut-backed Chickadee is a dark blackish-brown with white cheeks, and black bib. The back is a bright rusty-brown or chestnut, the wing feathers are dark gray with bright white edgings on the greater wing coverts. The underparts are white to pallid gray-white, with bright chestnut or partly pale gray flanks.

Habitat, Range, and Feeding

Chestnut-backed Chickadees prefer conifer forests and deciduous woodlands, from southern Alaska, coastal British Columbia through to California. With a portion of northern Idaho and southeast BC. The two subspecies are negmectus and barlowi are restricted to coastal California.

The female builds the nest and lays 1-11 eggs, and are white with reddish to light-brown spots.

Diet consist mainly of insects, arthropods, and invertebrates. Seeds from conifers and fruit, plus fruit pulp and berries comprise about one thrid of their diet. They also frequent bird feeders, and love suet.