The Black-capped chickadee is a bird named after its own call or song. Like the Jay, Crow and other name-sayer birds, the chickadee’s common call, Chicka dee-dee-dee is easy to identify. It alerts other chickadees when good food available, helps reunite separated flock-mates, or signals “all clear” when danger has passed. And at the beginning of the year, I always wait for the loud whistled fee-bee-beeyee chickadees use to announce the beginning of nesting season.

They can utilize bird houses year round as a shelter. In February winter flocks begin to break up for breeding and each pair can claim a house within their home range.

Their melodious sweet-ie song is heard beginning on sunny February days and continues into March when chickadees dispute territory rights. The loud whistled fee-bee-beeyee songs become a familiar sound as male chickadees engage in prolonged fee-bee battles with their male neighbors. That’s when you know spring is here!