The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most common and beloved backyard birds in North America. These tiny acrobatic birds are known for their curious nature, energetic antics, and signature “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” call. Chickadees mainly eat insects and seeds, but they will also visit bird feeders for a quick meal. With a few tips on what to offer chickadees at your feeders, you can easily attract these charming songbirds to your yard.
What Do Chickadees Eat?
Chickadees are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. Their diet consists mainly of insects and spiders during spring and summer. Once cold weather arrives, they switch primarily to seeds and berries. Here are some of the chickadee’s favorite natural foods:
Insects
– Caterpillars
– Moths and butterfly larvae
– Beetles
– Aphids
– Ants
– Flies
– Spiders
– Insect eggs
Chickadees spend much of their time during warmer months foraging among trees and shrubs for protein-rich insects and larvae. They use their strong beaks to pry open galls, decaying wood, and bark crevices searching for tasty bugs and spiders. Chickadees also snatch insects from leaves and branches as they move through the canopy.
Seeds
– Native tree seeds – birch, maple, pine
– Wildflower seeds – asters, goldenrods, sunflowers
– Grasses and sedges
In autumn and winter, chickadees rely more on seeds from native plants and trees as their main food source. They forage in thickets and woodland edges seeking out small seeds to eat. Chickadees hammer open seed pods and cones with their beaks, extracting the nutritious seeds inside.
Berries and Fruits
– Dogwood
– Viburnum
– Sumac
– Wild grape
– Virginia creeper
Chickadees look for berries and fruits on woody shrubs and vines from late summer through winter. These pulpy fruits provide chickadees with hydration and carbohydrates to survive cold weather when insects are scarce. Dogwood, viburnum, and sumac berries are chickadee favorites at many backyard feeders.
Suet and Nuts
– Peanut pieces
– Black oil sunflower
– Safflower
– Suet
Chickadees will visit feeders stocked with suet, nuts, and sunflower seeds, especially in winter. These high-fat foods give chickadees the energy boost they need to maintain body heat on cold days. Peanut pieces, black oil sunflower seeds, and suet are top choices to feed chickadees.
Best Foods to Offer Chickadees
To attract chickadees to your yard, try offering some of their favorite foods:
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Black oil sunflower seeds have a thin shell that chickadees can easily crack open with their beaks. These small, oil-rich seeds make an excellent high-energy food source for chickadees and are readily eaten at feeders. Look for sunflower seeds with a high meat-to-shell ratio.
Suet
Suet is rendered beef fat processed into cake or plug form. It provides a concentrated source of fat and calories to help chickadees survive cold weather and maintain their body heat. Offer suet in hanging feeders or suet cages.
Peanut Pieces
Chickadees are drawn to the rich, nutty flavor of peanuts. Offer shelled, all-natural peanut pieces for easier eating. Chopped peanuts can also be mixed into suet for added appeal. Just be sure any peanuts have no salt or flavorings added.
Mealworms
Live and dried mealworms make an irresistible treat for chickadees. These protein-packed larvae satisfy chickadees’ appetite for insects. Offer mealworms in small mesh bags or trays attached to feeders.
Fruit
Chopped fruits like apple, grapes, oranges, and bananas will attract fruit-loving chickadees. Mixing fruit pieces into suet or stuffing them into pine cones creates a nourishing fruit kabob for chickadees.
Food | Benefits |
---|---|
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds | High in fat and protein |
Suet | Provides fat and calories for warmth |
Peanut Pieces | Rich, nutritious protein source |
Mealworms | Natural insect protein |
Fruit | Carbohydrates and hydration |
Feeder Tips for Chickadees
With a few simple tips, you can turn your backyard into a chickadee haven:
Provide Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
This is the top seed to offer chickadees year-round. Provide sunflower seeds in tube feeders, hopper feeders, or platform feeders.
Incorporate Suet
Suet is vital nutrition for chickadees in winter. Hang suet feeders on trees or posts away from squirrel access.
Offer Peanut Pieces
A mesh bag of peanuts hanging from a tree branch is irresistible. Chickadees will cling upside down to grab peanut pieces.
Try Mealworms
Live or dried mealworms presented in small trays or bags will entice chickadees to feeders.
Mix in Fruit
Skewer chopped fruit on branches or pine cones near feeders. Fruit helps chickadees get the hydration they need.
Use Small, Open Feeders
Platform, hopper, tube, and mesh feeders allow easy chickadee access to seeds. Avoid dome feeders – chickadees prefer to perch instead of cling.
Situate Feeders Near Trees
Chickadees like to perch in trees between feeder visits. Place feeders within a few feet of trees or shrubs.
Offer Multiple Feeder Locations
Spread feeders around your yard near natural cover. This reduces competition and gives shy birds a secure place to eat.
Keep Feeders Clean
Frequently clean feeders with soap and water to prevent disease transmission. Discard moldy seed and dirty suet.
When to Feed Chickadees
Chickadees will visit backyard feeders all year as long as food and shelter are available:
Spring
Continue feeding sunflower seeds, suet, and peanut pieces in spring. This provides extra nutrition for chickadees feeding nestlings.
Summer
Keep feeders stocked through summer even though natural food is abundant. This will ensure chickadees stick around your yard.
Fall
Offer sunflower seeds and suet as chickadees switch from insects to seeds and fats for winter. Providing food now will draw them to your feeders.
Winter
Up the amount of suet and sunflower seeds in feeders during cold months. Chickadees rely almost solely on feeders for food in winter.
Year-round
By providing a constant, year-round source of food, you can attract chickadees to become regular backyard visitors. They will remember reliable food sources.
What Not to Feed Chickadees
While chickadees eat a diverse diet, some foods can be harmful. Avoid the following:
Moldy or Wet Seed
Consuming molded, rotten, or wet seed can make birds sick. Discard any seed or suet that is past its prime.
Salted Foods
Avoid salted peanuts, roasted seeds, flavored suet, or anything with added salt, sugar or seasonings.
Dried Fruit with Sulphur Dioxide
The sulphur used to preserve color in dried fruits is toxic to chickadees. Choose untreated dried fruit.
Leftover Baked Goods
Foods like bread and muffins quickly grow mold and do not provide proper nutrition. Stick to specific bird foods.
Pet Food
Cat and dog foods contain additives and nutrients birds cannot properly digest. Never feed pet food to chickadees.
Raw Dried Beans
Raw dried beans contain hemaglutins that are toxic to birds if consumed. Only offer cooked bean pieces.
Conclusion
Inviting busy chickadees to your backyard is easy and rewarding. Follow these tips to offer the ideal feeder foods, nutrition, and habitat for chickadees. Be sure to provide sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, and mealworms consistently throughout the year. Chickadees will thank you with frequent visits and their cheerful “chick-a-dee-dee” songs. With a little encouragement in the form of tasty offerings, you’ll soon have a loyal flock of acrobatic chickadees livening up your yard. So grab some sunflower seeds and peanut pieces, set up a suet feeder, and get ready to make your backyard a chickadee hotspot!