Boreal Chickadee
Poecile hudsonicus
Restricted to coniferous forests in the far northern U.S. and Canada. Similar in size and shape to other chickadees, but with unique color pattern: brown cap, black throat, and rich orange-buff flanks. Typically fairly shy; can be difficult to get a good view as it sneaks through the dense spruces. Voice sounds like a wheezy Black-capped Chickadee; slower with more slurred notes.
Identification
Adults are 12.5–14.5 cm (4.9–5.7 in) long with a weight of 7–12.4 g (0.25–0.44 oz). They have grey-brown upperparts with a brown cap and greyish wings and tail; their face is mainly grey with white on the sides. Their underparts are white with brown on the flanks and a black throat. They have a short dark bill, short wings and a long notched tail. Their flight consists of brief gliding patterns followed by fast and bouncy wing beats as they travel through the air.
Taxonomy
The species was formerly placed in the genus Parus with most other tits, but mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data and morphology suggest that separating Poecile more adequately expresses these birds' relationships. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the boreal chickadee is sister to the chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens).
- Scientific name
- Poecile hudsonicus
- Authority
- (Forster, JR, 1772)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paridae
- Genus
- Poecile
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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