Bird guide · Poecile rufescens
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
What the chestnut-backed chickadee eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Year-round resident
- Size
- 4.5 in (11.5 cm)
- Eats
- seeds, suet
- Feeds
- tube, hopper, suet cage
- Most common
- Washington, Oregon, California
Food
What do chestnut-backed chickadees eat?
At feeders, chestnut-backed chickadees take seeds, suet.
Readily comes to feeders for seeds or suet.
Feeder that suits it
A tube or hopper feeder with sunflower seed or sunflower hearts.
Range
Where do chestnut-backed chickadees live?
Humid coastal forests of the northwestern US. By share of all bird sightings, chestnut-backed chickadees are most common in Washington (1.5%).
States where chestnut-backed chickadees are most common
- Washington1.5%
- Oregon0.9%
- California0.7%
- Alaska0.7%
- Idaho0.2%
- Montana0.07%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are chestnut-backed chickadees, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the chestnut-backed chickadee migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in September.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are chestnut-backed chickadees, by month.
Identification
How to identify the chestnut-backed chickadee
Adults: Sooty brown cap, black bib, white cheeks and rich chestnut back and sides.
Size: 4.5 in (11.5 cm)
Nesting
Does the chestnut-backed chickadee use nest boxes?
Yes. Nests in tree holes and in nest boxes.
On camera
Getting the chestnut-backed chickadee on a feeder camera
Any seed camera feeder works. Hang it near shrubs for cover, about five feet off the ground, with the lens facing away from direct sun.
Questions
Chestnut-backed Chickadee: questions
What do chestnut-backed chickadees eat?
At feeders, seeds, suet.
Do chestnut-backed chickadees migrate?
Year-round resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in September.
Where do chestnut-backed chickadees live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware.