Black-capped chickadees are small North American songbirds that are known for their curiosity, acrobatic feeding behaviors, and vocalizations. They are cavity nesters, meaning they build their nests and raise their young in enclosed spaces like tree cavities. While they most often nest in natural tree cavities, black-capped chickadees will also readily use nest boxes or birdhouses provided for them in backyards.
Do black-capped chickadees use birdhouses?
Yes, black-capped chickadees do use birdhouses. Providing birdhouses is an excellent way to attract these lively songbirds to your backyard. Chickadees often prefer birdhouses over natural cavities because the man-made nesting sites are more protective and durable.
Chickadees are small birds, so they require an appropriately sized nest box with an entry hole about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The box should be placed 5-15 feet above ground and preferably attached to a tree trunk or sturdy pole. Proper placement is key since chickadees are vulnerable to predation when entering and exiting the birdhouse.
Black-capped chickadees are widespread throughout northern and eastern North America. They can be enticed to use backyard birdhouses nearly anywhere within their range. Monitoring and maintaining your chickadee nest boxes will ensure repeated use for many seasons.
What time of year do chickadees use birdhouses?
Chickadees use birdhouses primarily in spring and summer during their breeding season. The exact nesting timeline varies across their range, but generally occurs April through July.
Here is the typical seasonal progression:
– Spring migration: Chickadees return from their winter range and scout for suitable nesting sites in March/April.
– Nest building: Mated pairs build their nest of moss, plant fibers, fur, and hair in April/May. The female does most of the construction.
– Egg laying: 4-12 tiny white eggs are laid sometime in May.
– Incubation: The female incubates the eggs for about 14 days while the male brings her food.
– Nestlings: Eggs hatch in May/June and chicks are fed by both parents for 2-3 weeks.
– Fledging: Young chickadees leave the nest in June/July, able to fly but still dependent on their parents.
– Second broods: Chickadees often raise a second brood in June/July using the same or different nest site.
By August, nesting activities cease and chickadees form winter flocks. Birdhouses are unused again until the following spring.
What are the best birdhouse designs for chickadees?
Here are some tips for providing chickadees with ideal birdhouses:
– Small size: 4 x 4 x 6 inches minimum interior dimensions. The entry hole should be 1 1/4 inches diameter.
– Wood construction: Use untreated, unpainted wood at least 3/4 inches thick. Cedar and pine are good choices.
– Protection: Attach a predator guard below the entrance. Use metal plates or pipes to prevent raccoons, snakes, etc. from enlarging the hole.
– Drainage & ventilation: Drill drainage holes in the floor and ventilation holes near the roof. Chickadees prefer a dry interior.
– No perch: Don’t include a perch, which allows larger birds access. Chickadees can easily cling to the entry hole.
– Monitor regularly: Check your chickadee box frequently and clean it out each fall.
Where you place the birdhouse on your property is also important. Chickadees prefer birdhouses:
– 5-15 feet above ground. This protects from predators and keeps nest dry.
– With a clear flight path to the entry hole so they can enter and exit easily.
– Facing north or east to avoid overheating and strong winds from the south.
– Near wooded edges or trees to provide cover and food sources.
What materials do chickadees use to build nests in birdhouses?
Chickadees build an elaborate nest inside the birdhouse cavity. They do not carry in twigs or sticks like some bird species. Instead, their nests are cup-shaped and made of softer materials. Here are some of the materials chickadees use:
– Moss – Provides a soft lining and insulation. They often pull it off of trees and structures.
– Animal hair & fur – Collected from the ground or plucked from live animals. Provides warmth.
– Feathers – Typically gathered from other bird species. Used for cushioning the interior.
– Spider egg cocoons – Silk fibers bind the nest materials together.
– Shredded plant fibers – From materials like dead leaves or bark. Give the nest structure.
– Lichens & pine needles – Added for a tidy, uniform appearance.
The nest interior is then shaped and felted together using spider silk and the bird’s own saliva. Chickadees frequently line the nest with feathers, hair, or fur as finishing touches before laying their eggs.
Do black-capped chickadees reuse the same birdhouse?
Chickadees exhibit high nest site fidelity. This means a mated pair will often return to the same birdhouse year after year if their previous nesting attempts were successful. There are a few reasons why chickadees prefer to reuse a nest box:
– Familiar territory – Reusing a birdhouse allows the chickadees to return to an area they already know well.
– Saves energy – Nest building takes time and effort, so refurbishing an old nest is more efficient.
– Limited sites – Good nesting cavities are scarce, so chickadees pounce on favored spots.
However, chickadees may also switch to a different birdhouse for their second brood in a season rather than reusing the same box. And if a site fails due to predators, parasites, or other issues, they will abandon it in favor of finding a safer location. Providing several birdhouses for chickadees allows them options.
To encourage reuse, it’s important to properly maintain your chickadee birdhouses. Be sure to clean out old nesting materials in the fall so the cavity is fresh for the following spring. Making minor repairs and addressing any predation risks will also ensure your birdhouses remain chickadee favorites.
Do other birds use chickadee birdhouses?
In addition to chickadees, other bird species may be attracted to the backyard birdhouses:
House wrens – Small songbirds that also readily accept nest boxes. They may compete with chickadees for housing.
Carolina wrens – Larger related species that occasionally use chickadee-sized boxes.
Tree swallows – Blue and white aerial insectivores that nest in cavities.
Boreal owls – Tiny northern owls that sometimes inhabit chickadee boxes in coniferous forests.
Saw-whet owls – The smallest owls in North America that can fit inside chickadee nest boxes.
Eastern bluebirds – Thrushes with much larger entrance holes needed, so unlikely to move into a chickadee box.
The most direct competition comes from house wrens. They are known to take over chickadee nests, even destroying eggs and physically attacking the resident chickadees. Providing multiple birdhouses can help reduce this competition between the species.
How many broods do chickadees typically raise per season?
Chickadees often raise two broods per breeding season, referred to as double brooding. The female lays a first clutch of eggs, incubates them, and raises the young to fledging. She then begins a second nest while her current fledglings are still dependent on their parents for feeding.
Some key facts about double brooding in chickadees:
– Second nest begins about 25 days after the first clutch hatches.
– Total number of eggs laid per season ranges from 8 to 24.
– Later broods tend to be smaller with only 3 to 6 eggs.
– Both parents continue caring extensively for the first brood while starting the second.
– Raises reproductive success and survival rates for the species.
– Allows the parents to maximize food resources during the short northern summer.
– Second clutch is often raised in a different nesting site than the first.
Not all chickadee pairs are able to successfully raise two broods. The health and experience of the parents, food availability, predation, and suitable habitat all influence whether double brooding is possible. But ornithologists estimate 70-80% of chickadee pairs make the vigorous effort.
At what age are young chickadees ready to leave the birdhouse?
Chickadees develop rapidly inside the birdhouse nest, but still require 16-21 days before fledging:
– Eggs hatch after 12-16 days of incubation.
– Nestlings are altricial – blind, featherless, and helpless at hatching.
– Eyes open at 5-7 days old. Body covered in juvenile plumage by 11 days old.
– Nestlings can thermoregulate by 12 days old. Parents begin leaving the box occasionally.
– Feathers on wings and tail grown enough for flight at 15-17 days old.
– Young are ready to fledging and leave the nest at 16-21 days old.
– Parents continue to feed and care for fledglings for several weeks as they learn to forage independently.
Chickadees develop rapidly because of their short breeding season and need to switch nest locations. Leaving the nest box at 3 weeks ensures they reach independence before harsh northern winter returns again.
The age when chickadees fledge can vary slightly based on food supply, weather conditions, and latitude. But most have acquired their initial flight feathers and departed the nest box by 21 days old.
Do chickadees return to breed in the same area?
Yes, as long as their habitat remains suitable, chickadees demonstrate high natal site fidelity. This means they often return to breed in the same general area where they were born and fledged the previous year.
There are several reasons why chickadees exhibit site fidelity to their natal area:
– Familiar territory – Knowing locations of reliable food, water, shelter is key.
– Nest site reuse – Returning to a proven, safe nesting cavity.
– Mate finding – Reuniting with a previous breeding partner at a habitual site.
– Inherited dominance – Social hierarchy favors birds born and established on a site.
Banding studies show that chickadees who survive their first winter frequently settle less than a few kilometers from where they hatched. Males seem to exhibit stronger site fidelity than females as well.
Of course, chickadees may also pioneer into new areas if habitat is lost or competition forces relocation. But the tendency is to return faithfully each spring to their natal grounds.
Conclusion
Installing birdhouses specifically designed for chickadees is an excellent way to attract these active songbirds to your backyard. Chickadees eagerly accept nest boxes because they provide safe, weatherproof sites to raise multiple broods each breeding season. With appropriate habitat and a few basic nest box precautions, you can look forward to chickadees recurring season after season in your birdhouses. Their lively antics and vocalizations will reward your nest box efforts with hours of enjoyment.