Can you identify this chickadee?
One of the most common identification challenges that I run into when working at Wild Birds Unlimited is trying to separate Black-capped and Carolina Chickadees. Many people call all chickadees Black-capped by default even though that is not the species that occurs in many areas around the country. Part of the confusion with identifying these two species is there is a large area where their ranges come together, and they will actually hybridize, making telling the species apart almost impossible. Range maps for both types of chickadees are below.
You can tell in this map from eBird that Black-capped Chickadees are the more northern of the two chickadee species we are comparing. Click here for an interactive map.
In contrast to the previous map, we can see that Carolina Chickadee is the more southern of the two species we are comparing. Click here for an interactive map.
In addition to having different ranges, there are small variations in the plumage of these species. As you can see in the photos below, the Black-capped Chickadee has a white nape (the back of the neck) and white edges on its secondaries, where the Carolina Chickadee shows a much more gray nape and more gray in the secondaries.
You can really see how white the edges of the secondaries are in this photo of a Black-capped Chickadee. It also helps to get an up-close, in-hand view!
I always find it easiest to see the difference in the secondaries. This Carolina Chickadee shows almost no white in that area at all!
Let us know what species of chickadee you are seeing!
Colleen says
Black-capped–some of our favorites–see them every day 🙂
Peggy says
In East Texas we get the Carolina Chickadee. They spend a lot of time at our feeders.
Robin says
I live in Georgia, and though the map says I shouldn’t, I do have both black capped and carolina chicadees. I occasionally can tell them apart by their wings, but for the most part, I can tell by their calls….
amy c. lawton says
I am going to have to look more closely!!! I have a backyard full of them!!!
krystyna says
me too
Joy says
I’VE JUST NOTICED THE CAROLINAS AT THE FEEDER HERE IN GLEN ST MARY, FL.
Birdman says
Carolina.
cynthia says
We have the black capped and the southern carolina. I know the first one by the sounds they make. Glad to see them here in tennessee
Anne Del Bello says
In the Florida Panhandle, I have lots of Carolina chickadees.
Becky Hadley says
Glad I am just stuck with my Chestnut-backed Chickadees here in California. 😉 They are one of my faves.
Bruce B says
See lots of Black Capped here in Northeastern MN.. Love seeing them fly in and out from the feeders… They meet me as I bring the feeders out to them with the Golden Salflower and Black Oil Sunflower… I have other feeders as well..
Tanya says
Adorable either way!
Tammy thoms says
I live in Alabama and I have a feeder right outside my window , on the ledge and I’ve had so many Carolina chickadees this year that my husband had to look them up because we had no idea what they were. Beautiful little birds black capped but no white on their wings.
Jeanne says
In Central Maine we only see the Black-capped. They are very friendly and will eat from ones hand.
Beemteam says
Will be adding Carolina to my bird list .Thx for the identification tip. Kansas birder.
Dianne says
On the Canadian east coast (PEI), I have only seen the black capped chickadees…they are so cute and entertaining to watch…. And they let me know when the feeders are empty.
Diane Falk says
We live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State….we’ll VERY occasionally see a black-capped, or even a Mountain (THAT’s a thrill!) but for the most part, we have Chestnut-Backed. We didn’t have them at the feeders for two years when we first moved here, but now they’ve found us. They do NOT come to the window feeders, however. They’re more skittish here than I’ve ever seen!
Magic Physicist says
I have lived on the Olympic Peninsula since 1971 and at the same property since 1984 and have been feeding my wild critters here for 30 years and my Black-Capped Chickadees love eating the black sunflower seeds all day and all winter and I have the feeder about 1 foot outside the kitchen window and they are real tame compared to the other birds I have and actually tell me when they need more food and sit in the butterfly bush and watch me fill the feeder and jump right on it………they do like to fly to the tree to take the 30 seconds to peck each one open and eat it but fly right back for more (I have about 10 pairs of them) and I have a couple Chestnut-Backed here too and a pair of Nuthatch eating along with them.
And had about 10 Anna hummingbirds all winter and in the first week of March each year the rest of the hummingbirds return and I get around 75 of them and need over 100lbs of sugar each year.
Karen Lane says
Our chickadee does come to our window feeder! Try a seed mix with some peanuts, we seem to have good luck with it!
Roberta McElwain says
In NH we have the Black capped. They are here from morning till dusk . Sunshine or snow they are at the feeders even the ones in front of the windows, I have fed them out of my hand here. I lived in the mountains of AZ and we had Mountain chickadees- they were alittle more skittish about eating out of my hands but they were at the feeders all day long !
nancy smith says
I live in southwest Virginia I see the Carolina but I have seen the black capped . it seems to be more chubbier.
Karen Lane says
I have a little guy who comes around who I swear is a Carolina, though we live in Rochester NY and we shouldn’t have one here. The pictures in my bird guide aren’t very helpful. This article was makes things a lot clearer! If it does turn out to be a Carolina, then woo hoo!
Deb says
Toledo, OH – Black Capped !
Billie Crane says
I live in southeast Oklahoma. I see them everyday, but I’m not sure which one I they are.
Mary E says
Black-capped …South shore Lake Superior Upper Peninsula Michigan.
Julie M. says
Carolina, Southern Georgia
Tammy Schumacher says
I finally saw a chickadee for the first time ever that I’ve noticed here in Northern Texas. I think it is a Carolina Chickadee but after reading this I will look closer. I’ve only seen it twice now and I’m wondering why it doesn’t come around when all the other birds are feeding. The two time I’ve sen it both only recently was in the late afternoon and of course it’s when the feeder had gone empty.