Wildlife Quiz - Black-Capped Chickadee

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), know more commonly as simply “Chickadee”, may be found in a wide diversity of habitats, including mixed woodlands, field edges and marshes to residential neighborhoods. Boasting an impressive range, Chickadees may be found throughout the United States and even as far north as Alaska and the Yukon. Though capable of over thirteen distinct and complex sounds, the chickadee’s name was derived from its most commonly known chick-a-dee-dee-dee vocalization. Though seemingly a simple sounding call, scientists have determined that through these five notes, chickadees can communicate to the other members of the flock potential threats, food sources, location and group movements.

Chickadees are notoriously tolerant of humans, easily tempted to take food from a person’s hand. This curiosity along with their endearing over-sized heads and diminutive bodies make the chickadee a favorite at birdfeeders. The chickadee’s popularity is apparent, as it serves as the state bird of both Maine and Massachusetts, and as the provincial bird of New Brunswick, Canada.

Caterpillars, small insects, seeds and berries comprise the diet of the Chickadee, with black oil sunflower seeds a winter favorite to be scoffed from winter bird feeders. Chickadees commonly hide food items for consumption at a later time when other food may not be as readily available.

The chickadee mating season starts in April and ends in Jun. The male chickadee contributes greatly to raising the young by providing food to the female and to the young throughout the entire brooding cycle. Clutch sizes very from between 6-8 eggs, deposited in nests usually constructed in the protected hole of a tree. Young develop rapidly and typically leave the nest 10–15 days after hatching. The maximum recorded lifespan of a chickadee is twelve years of age but in the wild, due to high rates of predation, rarely survive longer than a few years.

Wildlife Quiz Questions:
1. What is the distribution of the chickadee?
2. In what habitats can chickadees typically be found?
3. What are chickadees able to communicate through their seemingly simple vocalizations?
4. In what US States do chickadees serve as the state bird?
5. What comprises a majority of the chickadees diet?
6. When is chickadee mating season?
7. How many eggs do chickadees typically lay in a single clutch?
8. What is the maximum age of a chickadee?

Wildlife Quiz Answers: 
1. Chickadees may be found throughout the United States and even as far north as Alaska and the Yukon.
2. Chickades may be found in a wide diversity of habitats, including mixed woodlands, field edges and marshes to residential neighborhoods.
3. Through their seemingly simple vocalizations, chickadees can communicate to the other members of the flock potential threats, food sources, location and group movements.
4. The chickadee serves as the state bird of both Maine and Massachusetts.
5. A majority of the chickadees diets is comprised of caterpillars, small insects, seeds and berries.
6. Chickadee mating season starts in April and ends in Jun.
7. Chickadees lay in a typical clutch between 6-8 eggs.
8. The maximum recorded lifespan of a chickadee is twelve years of age.