Poecile atricapilla

(Black-Capped Chickadee)

Conservation Status

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Population Analysis

For the 56,652 species in the Class Aves (Birds), we average 319.32 observations each in our database; for the Black-Capped Chickadee, we have 269 observations. Compared to other species in this Class, this species is somewhat rare.
A two-sample t-test can be used to determine whether the trend in observations of the Black-Capped Chickadee is the same as the trend in observations of Aves. Is this species just as common, as a proportion of all observations, as it once was? The answer is no, changes in observation rate of this species significantly differ from changes in observation rate of its Class. (t=15.054, p<0.001)
How do observation rates of the Black-Capped Chickadee differ from those of Aves? To answer this, we examined the percentage of observerations for Aves that were observations of the Black-Capped Chickadee each year. We then correlated this percentage with observation year. If observations of the Black-Capped Chickadee are becoming more common relative to other species of Aves, the correlation should be positive, but if it is becoming less common, the correlation should be negative. In fact, the correlation is negative (r=-.44), with a negative slope (m = -.001), suggesting that the Black-Capped Chickadee may be in decline relative to other species of Aves. This correlation is statistically significant. (F = 50.85, p<.05)
The scatter chart to the right shows the percentage of all observations for Aves each year that were observations of the Black-Capped Chickadee.

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
    - Branch: Deuterostomia Grobben, 1908 - Deuterostomes
      - Infrakingdom: Chordonia (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
        Phylum: Chordata Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
        Subphylum: Vertebrata Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
        Infraphylum: Gnathostomata auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
        Superclass: Tetrapoda Goodrich, 1930 - Tetrapods
        Class: Aves Linnaeus, 1758 - Birds
        Subclass: Neornithes Gadow, 1893
        Infraclass: Neoaves
        Superorder: Passerimorphae
        Order: Passeriformes Linnaeus, 1758 - Perching Birds
        Suborder: Passeri
        Series: Amniota
        Superfamily: Sylvioidea
        Family: Paridae - Chickadees, Titmice
        Genus: Poecile
        Specific name: atricapilla ssp.
        Scientific name: Poecile atricapilla ssp.

Physical Description

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Family Paridae:

A large Family of small stocky woodland passerine birds with short stout bills. They nest in holes, and lay white speckled eggs.

Adult:

Head: Cap: black Face: Cheeks: white Chin: black bib Bill: black Length: short Body: Lower Belly: olive buff wash Flanks: olive buff wash Sides: olive buff wash Underparts: white Upperparts: light gray Legs: Foot Color: blackish gray Leg Color: blackish gray Wings: Secondaries: light gray with broad whitish edges Tertials: light gray with broad whitish edges Tail: Crissum: olive buff wash.

Size/Age/Growth:

About 5.5 inches long, with a wingspan of 7.5 to 8.5 inches. Adults weigh about 0.4 ounces.

Images:

Poecile atricapilla Poecile atricapilla Photographer: Ted Heuer Credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Source: http://images.fws.gov/ Permissions for Use: See here. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 72046

Poecile atricapilla Poecile atricapilla ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 67653

Poecile atricapilla Poecile atricapilla Credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Source: http://images.fws.gov/ Permissions for Use: See here. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 72045

Poecile atricapilla Poecile atricapilla Photographer: Donna A. Dewhurst Credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Source: http://images.fws.gov/ Permissions for Use: See here. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 72047

Distribution

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Diet

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Mostly:

Insects Lesser Quantities of: Seeds Fruit

Reproduction

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Breeding Habitat: Woodland
Nest Location: Mid-story/canopy nesting
Nest Type: Cavity
Clutch Size: 5-10
Length of Incubation: 11-13 days
Days to Fledge: 14-18
Number of Broods: 1?

Migration

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Nonmigratory

Similar Species

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Carolina Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee

Members of the genus Poecile:

There are approximately 81 species and subspecies in this genus: P. affinis · P. atricapilla (Black-Capped Chickadee) · P. atricapilla accidentalis · P. atricapilla atricapilla · P. atricapilla atricapillus · P. atricapilla nevadensis · P. atricapilla occidentalis · P. atricapilla practica · P. atricapilla septentrionalis · P. atricapilla turneri · P. atricapillus (Black-Capped Chickadee) · P. atricapillus atricapillus · P. atricapillus colletti · P. atricapillus elenae · P. atricapillus fortuitus · P. atricapillus garrinus · P. atricapillus nevadensis · P. atricapillus occidentalis · P. atricapillus practica (Black-Capped Chickadee) · P. atricapillus septentrionalis · P. atricapillus ssp · P. atricapillus turneri · P. baicalensis · P. carolinensis (Carolina Chickadee) · P. carolinensis agilis · P. carolinensis carolinensis · P. carolinensis extimus · P. carolinensis guilloti · P. carolinensis guiloti · P. carolinensis impiger · P. cincta (Gray-Headed Chickadee) · P. cincta lapponica · P. cincta lathami · P. cinctus · P. cinctus lathami · P. davidi · P. gambeli (Mountain Chickadee) · P. gambeli abbreviatus · P. gambeli atratus · P. gambeli baileyae · P. gambeli baileyi · P. gambeli bouleyi · P. gambeli gambeli · P. gambeli grinnelli · P. gambeli inyoensis · P. gambeli wasatchensis · P. hudsconica · P. hudsonica (Boreal Chickadee) · P. hudsonica cascadensis · P. hudsonica columbiana · P. hudsonica farleyi · P. hudsonica hudsonica · P. hudsonica littoralis · P. hudsonicus (Boreal Chickadee) · P. hudsonicus columbianus · P. hudsonicus hudsonicus · P. hudsonicus littoralis · P. lugubris · P. lugubris lugubris · P. montana · P. montanus · P. montanus borealis · P. palustris · P. palustris dresseri · P. palustris hellmayri · P. palustris hensoni · P. palustris italicus · P. palustris palustris · P. rufescens (Chestnut-Backed Chickadee) · P. rufescens barlowi · P. rufescens bartowi · P. rufescens neglectus · P. rufescens rufescens · P. sclateri (Mexican Chickadee) · P. sclateri eidas · P. sclateri eidos · P. sclateri rayi · P. sclateri sclateri · P. superciliosa · P. superciliosus · P. tunkanensis

Members of the genus Todiramphus:

There are approximately 113 species and subspecies in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: T. albonotatus (New Britain Kingfisher) · T. australasia (Cinnamon-Banded Kingfisher) · T. australasia australasia · T. australasia dammerianus · T. australasia odites · T. chloris (Animals) · T. chloris abyssinicus · T. chloris alberti · T. chloris albicilla · T. chloris amoenus · T. chloris armstrongi · T. chloris azelus · T. chloris bennetti · T. chloris brachyurus · T. chloris chloris · T. chloris chloroptera · T. chloris chloropterus · T. chloris colcloughi · T. chloris collaris · T. chloris colonus · T. chloris davisoni · T. chloris erromangae · T. chloris eximius · T. chloris humii · T. chloris juliae · T. chloris kalbaensis · T. chloris laubmannianus · T. chloris mala · T. chloris manuae · T. chloris marinus · T. chloris matthiae · T. chloris melanodera · T. chloris novaehiberniae · T. chloris nusae · T. chloris occipitalis · T. chloris orii · T. chloris ornatus · T. chloris owstoni · T. chloris palmeri · T. chloris pavuvu · T. chloris pealei · T. chloris pilbara · T. chloris regina · T. chloris sacer · T. chloris santoensis · T. chloris solomonis · T. chloris sordidus · T. chloris sororum · T. chloris stresemanni · T. chloris tannensis · T. chloris teraokai · T. chloris torresianus · T. chloris tristrami · T. chloris utupuae · T. chloris vicina · T. chloris vidali · T. chloris vitiensis · T. cinnamominus (Caroline Islands Kingfisher) · T. cinnamominus cinnamominus · T. cinnamominus pelewensis · T. cinnamominus reichenbachii · T. diops (Blue-And-White Kingfisher) · T. enigma (Talaud Kingfisher) · T. farquhari (Chestnut-Bellied Kingfisher) · T. funebris (Sombre Kingfisher) · T. gambieri (Tuamotu Kingfisher) · T. gambieri gambieri · T. gambieri gertrudae · T. godeffroyi (Marquesan Kingfisher) · T. lazuli (Lazuli Kingfisher) · T. leucopygius (Ultramarine Kingfisher) · T. macleayi · T. macleayii (Animals) · T. macleayii elisabeth · T. macleayii elizabeth · T. macleayii incinctus · T. macleayii macleayii · T. miyakoensis · T. nigrocyaneus (Blue-Black Kingfisher) · T. nigrocyaneus nigrocyaneus · T. nigrocyaneus quadricolor · T. nigrocyaneus stictolaemus · T. pyrrhopygia (Animals) · T. pyrrhopygius (Red-Backed Kingfisher) · T. recurvirostris (Flat-Billed Kingfisher) · T. ruficollaris (Mangaia Kingfisher) · T. sanctus (Animals) · T. sanctus canacorum · T. sanctus macmillani · T. sanctus norfolkiensis · T. sanctus recurvirostris · T. sanctus sancta · T. sanctus sanctus · T. sanctus vagans · T. saurophaga (Beach Kingfisher) · T. saurophagus (Beach Kingfisher) · T. saurophagus admiralitatis · T. saurophagus anachoreta · T. saurophagus saurophagus · T. tutus (Chattering Kingfisher)

Bibliography

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Alsop, Fred J. III. Birds of North America - Eastern Region. First American Edition. Smithsonian Handbooks. DK Publishing, Inc. 2001.
Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D., and Wheye, D. (1988). The Birders Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc. (info on clutch size, length of incubation, days to fledge and number of broods.)
Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc. (Length and wingspan info.)

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Notes

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Contributors:

Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 27, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 5 providers.

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 27, 2007:

Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Birds
Canadian Museum of Nature, Canadian Museum of Nature Bird Collection
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Terrestrial vertebrate specimens

Identifiers:

Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 14743494
Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 179910

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Last Revised: March 13, 2008