Gray-headed Chickadee

Overview

Gray-headed Chickadee: Medium chickadee with gray-brown back, gray cap, black bib, white cheeks, and white underparts washed with buff-gray on sides and flanks. Wings and tail are gray with white-edged feathers. Formerly called the Siberian Tit, it is the hardiest of all chickadees.

Range and Habitat

Gray-headed Chickadee: North American range is restricted to central Alaska and far northwestern Canada. Lives primarily among scattered conifers and riparian willow and aspen thickets.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Gray-Headed Chickadee is also known as the Siberian Tit.
It is the only member of the family Paridae common to the Old and New Worlds, occurring from Norway eastward across Eurasia into Alaska and arctic Canada.
Its vocalizations are remarkably complex and may hold a key to understanding the origin of song in songbirds.
A group of chickadees are collectively known as a "banditry" and a "dissimulation" of chickadees.

The Gray-headed Chickadee may also be called the Siberian Tit. It is a small passerine bird with an affinity for subarctic climates. Breeding grounds for this species are found throughout Scandinavia and northern areas of Asia, North America, and especially Alaska and northwestern Canada. These birds prefer habitats with coniferous woodlands. It is extremely adept to colder climates, and is typically a resident all year long. Nests are built in high trees, and it feeds on seeds and insects. Its feathers are down-like and insulate it well against winter weather. The conservation rating for the Gray-headed Chickadee is Least Concern.