Chestnut-backed chickadee

I photographed this bird in Duncan, BC, on June 5, 2025.

Who doesn't love chickadees?  The tiny, energetic birds flit restlessly between trees looking for sources of nourishment that can be anything from bugs to seeds.  On top of their cuteness, they have easily recognizable songs that confirm their presence even if unseen.  

There are four species of chickadees found in British Columbia that, along with the above one, include the black-capped, the boreal, and the mountain chickadee.  I saw the chestnut-backed variety occasionally while living in Maple Ridge, but since moving out to Kelowna, their boisterous nature has been absent.  It wasn't until I travelled to Vancouver Island that I once again had the pleasure of their company.

Breeding chickadees have a penchant for collecting fur.  They will take what they find lying on the ground, but they will also land on a distracted animal and tug away at a few strands.  They build an insulating layer about half an inch thick that they use to both line the nest with and cover the eggs with when temporarily absent.  They will nest in holes as their black-capped brethren do, but will also build cup-shaped nests in trees.  

My thanks to my friend, Mike Lynch, who I walked with on the Cowichan Estuary, where we found the bird.  I have no doubt that the individual was foraging for food for itself, its mate, and possibly its brooding young.  It was nice to see them again.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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