Guide to Bird Watching
Chickadee (Parus sp.)
Length
about 5 inches. Resident in most of North America.
Because
of its delightful notes, it flitting ways, and its fearlessness, the
chickadee
is one of our best-known birds. It responds to human encouragement, and
by
hanging a constant supply of suet, this black-capped visitor can be
made a
regular feeder in suburban gardens or city yards. Though small in size,
these
cousins of the titmice are highly useful against insects, gleaned
mostly from
the twigs and branches of trees. The chickadee’s food is made
up of insects and
seeds, largely seeds of pines, with a few of the poison ivy, some
weeds, and
sunflowers.