Songbird Essentials Clinger's Only is a guranteed favorite Chickadee feeder

Guest Article by Don & Lillian Stokes

Chickadees are cheerful bird feeder regulars from coast to coast. There are about six species of Chickadees regularly seen in North American north of Mexico. Looking like Little League Baseball players, they all have dark caps, bibs and white cheeks. In general, they are dark on the back, lighter underneath, and all about the same shape and size.

Each of our Chickadees has a different range, so check which ones live in your area. Here is a summary:

• Black-capped Chickadee:  Northern States and Southern Canada from coast to coast.
• Carolina Chickadee: Mostly the South – Eastern and Southern – Central States.
• Mountain Chickadee: Throughout the mountains of the West.
• Chestnut-backed Chickadee: Mostly the West Coast from Central California to Southern Alaska.
• Boreal Chickadee: Mostly in Canada from coast to coast and in Alaska.
• Mexican Chickadee: Just over the border in very limited areas of the Southwest.

In the winter most Black-capped Chickadees form into a flock of 6 – 14 birds that move about a range of 20 – 35 acres and defend it from other Chickadee flocks. A flock is comprised of pairs of Chickadees, some of which

Songbird Essentials Chickadee House

breed locally and some of which are young birds from elsewhere. Within the flock there is a stable linear dominance hierarchy, or “pecking order”. When Chickadees approach your bird feeders some birds seem to hang back and let others feed first or one bird may knock another bird off its feeding perch and take its place. These behaviors are sings of dominance and a reflection of the amazingly complex social relationships within a Chickadee flock.

Attract Chickadees with sunflower seed, their favorite, or seed mixes that contain a high percentage of sunflower. Offer the seed in tubular feeders, screen feeders or hopper feeders. Use multiple feeders to allow more Chickadee flock members to feed. I find my Chickadees love sunflower hearts and my wife likes that there is less mess in the yard, and no seeds to sprout.

Chickadees are also attracted to suet, especially in winter, when their metabolic needs are high and the high fat content of suet provides many calories.

You may also noticed that other species such as Woodpeckers, Titmice and Nuthatches may temporarily associate with the Chickadees forming a “mixed flock”. The Chickadees are the nuclear species these flocks form around. A mixed flock may benefit because there are more eyes to search for danger. By attracting Chickadees to your feeder, you can attract these other species as well. When I put out new feeders to test, the Chickadee is often the first to explore.

Chickadees live in trees, so if you do not have forest nearby, you may not have Chickadees. Create a favorable Chickadee habitat by planting trees. In addition to eating bird seed and suet, Chickadees eat tiny insects, insect larvae and wild seeds. They can acrobatically cling to branches to reach their food. I find that Chickadees readily eat live mealworms ( if they can beat the Bluebirds and Blue Jays) offered in my stake feeders.

Songbird Essentials Meal Worm feeder made from recycled milk cartons

In spring, the chickadee flock disperses. The most dominant pairs nest in the area of the winter territory, the other members nest elsewhere. Chickadees nest in trees, holds or in birdhouses. You can attract nesting Chickadees by putting up birdhouses. The entrance hole diameter can be from 1 to 1 ½ inches.

During the spring season listen for the Chickadee song. Block-capped Chickadees sing a two note whistle which sound like a “Feebee”. Other sounds they mark are “Chickadeedeedeedee”, given at disturbances or when one member is separated from the flock. The short “Tseett” note a call given between members of a flock to help keep them together. Now enjoy the Chickadee’s in your backyard.

Bobbo Bluebird shaped bird house with Chickadee sized entrance hole

They are there, they are just eating differently.  Your bird feeders and suet feeders during the winter and early spring become their major food supply.  As spring comes, so do the insects, and 95% of terrestrial birds feed their offspring on insects.

Include as many native plants as possible in your yard to provide food for the insects, and then you will be feeding the summer birds too!

In his book Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy ranks the best native plants to grow, based on their ability to support butterflies, moths, and caterpillars.  The plants that feed caterpillars feed the birds! Now is the time to plan on what you will plant in you garden to attract birds this year.

Birds are attracted to lawns and gardens that offer food and water for them. For your bird watching friend or

Songbird Essentials Spiral Feeder

Bird Feeders

Bird feeders attract a wide range of birds such as Bluebirds, Cardinals, Wrens and Chickadees and a lot of other species of birds. Hummingbird feeders and Oriole feeders display nectar for these birds to drink. Some bird feeders are more decorative than practical. Choose a feeder that is attractive and keeps the seed dry. Wet seed turns moldy and will make the birds sick. A tube feeder is an idea feeder to give as a gift. The birds love the spiral tube bird feeders. They can run up and down the spiral instead of flying off to another perch to go to another seed port.

Bird Baths

Birds need to frolic in shallow water to groom themselves. Bird  baths are an attractive garden ornament that will also help to attract a wide variety of birds throughout the year. You can

Fierenza Solar Bird Bath Fountain

purchase any very attractive, decorative bird baths at our website. A heating unit can be put into these to keep them from freezing during the winter months or you could purchase a heated bird bath which can be used year round.

Bird Houses

Birds love playing around a bird house, poking their noses inside the hole to see what is inside of them. There are bird houses that are made to attract a particular bird such as Bluebird Houses. For a bird house that will last for many years choose one made of cedar or recycled plastic. Cedar bird houses help to keep away insects and moths that hate the smell of cedar! Bird houses are great garden accent additions to any lawn or garden. Bird watchers enjoy receiving them as gifts.

Bird Decor Items

Bird watchers also enjoy receiving gifts with bird designs on them such as door mats, coffee mugs, ornaments, garden stakes, wind

Songbird Collage Door Mat

Gold Finch Wind Chime

This is an unique bird feeder that is incredibly easy to fill and maintain. The feeder slides up and down the center pole eliminating reaching and bending. No more reaching up and taking the bird feeder off its hanger and sitting down to fill it. Just slide the hi-capacity feeder down the pole to you to fill it up. A free standing, heavy duty base allows you to locate your bird feeder just about anywhere in your patio,yard or garden.

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