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Bird Sounds: Black-Capped Chickadee

The bold little chickadee is a welcome sight at any feeder.

Photo Credit
Photo by USFWS Mountain-Prairie via Wikimedia Commons

Black-capped Chickadee Calls

Tom Warren
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Here you can identify the sounds and birdsong of the black-capped chickadee. You may recognize their “chick-a-dee-dee-ee” or the whistled “fee-bee.”

  1. Listen first for the two-note whistle of the male black-capped chickadee. It’s a very clear two-note song that drops in pitch and sounds like “fee-bee.” Now you know what THAT sound is! The males begin singing in mid-January, and the song increases in frequency as winter progresses. Females also sing occasionally.
  2. Then, listen for the chickadee call which sounds like “chickadee-dee-dee.“  Interestingly, they will use an increasing numbers of dee notes when they are alarmed.

If you wish to attract the friendly chickadee, they will readily visit bird feeders and especially like sunflower seeds or suet in winter. You may see them take the food and fly away to store in a tree crevice for later.

Their diet is mostly seeds, insects, and berries. They can been seen hopping among branches and foraging for food, even flying out to catch insects mid-air.

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The bird sounds are complimentary, with permission from The Macaulay Library at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Click here to listen to the sounds of other birds!

Have you heard a black-capped chickadee? Add your comments below. Be sure to let us know where you live or where you’ve heard this bird sound before!

Bird Sounds
About The Author

Tom Warren

Tom Warren is a lifelong bird enthusiast. Tom is also committed to protecting birds and their habitat as a Trustee for both Massachusetts and New Hampshire Audubon, and the Harris Nature Center. Read More from Tom Warren
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Comments

Deborah (not verified)

1 week 5 days ago

A sound I dearly love... the Fee-Bee call of the Black Capped Chickadee! I woke up to this call seemingly every morning at my childhood home! Everywhere I’ve ever lived, I’m 61 years old, I have been so appreciative to be greeted with this call until a house I moved into a year ago where I still hear it but rarely! I truly miss hearing it and being taken back in my thoughts to quiet early mornings in my childhood bedroom. I keep listening for it none-the-less and appreciate being able to hear it here when I can’t otherwise. It is music to my ears!

Emma (not verified)

2 months 1 week ago

I heard this bird outside my window last night, in early May. I live in Sacramento, CA

GA (not verified)

3 months 2 weeks ago

I’ve been hearing this bird all my life and now I know who it is! Live in north eastern NJ. My dad would whistle just like it☺️

jbwit (not verified)

7 months 1 week ago

They are not only quite common in Western NY, but they will land and feed from my hand when I'm filling the feeder.
Jim

Johanna Fonteine (not verified)

7 months 1 week ago

We have chickadees year round. Love watching them flutter around and hearing them. Never get tired of it. Live in Northern Ontario

Connie Wellman (not verified)

7 months 1 week ago

When I was young, my mom told me that the chickadees often called 'Hi, sweetie!' We used to love being outside and hearing them call to us before landing on our outstretched hands to get the offered sunflower seeds.

Jordan (not verified)

1 year 5 months ago

I always wait to hear these birds every spring living near Vancouver, British Columbia. My mom always made fun of me for whistling to them, but they always call back if they're in the area.

Barbara Henn-Pander (not verified)

1 year 12 months ago

What a clear sound! My dad taught me this bird first as a child. I put up two chickadee nest boxes this year but so far no nesting birds. We do get visitors to the yard, though, and I am methodically trying to build bird friendly habitat: thickets, seed bearing flowers, etc. Totally enchanted! Thank you!!

Karen M (not verified)

2 years ago

The chickadee has long been one of my favorite birds. Their singing makes me happy and smile. Living in Minnesota, we are lucky to hear them year-round.