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Bird Sounds: Black-Capped Chickadee

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

Image Credit:
Photo by USFWS Mountain-Prairie via Wikimedia Commons
Written By: Tom Warren Birder

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.

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

Birder

Tom Warren is a graduate of Harvard College and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. After serving in the US Army, he became a compensation professional. He has had...

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Comments

<span>Veronica</span> Sat, 03/18/2017 - 00:36
I've heard these birds near my university in Calgary, AB, and could not figure out what type of bird they were based on their song. I had never seen, or heard these little guys before until I started at my uni. It seems like they are more populated in the SW end of the city. I just love their song. It's a beautiful sound to hear in the dead of winter. They are so cute too!
<span>Michele</span> Fri, 03/10/2017 - 09:31
I lived in Bowmanville, Ontario and had a nyjer feeder on my tiny back porch. Several times a day, the Black Capped Chickadee and Northern Cardinals--all three types--came to the feeder and enjoyed their snack! (I used nyjer because squirrels hate it.)
<span>Sandy</span> Fri, 03/10/2017 - 02:46
These sweet little birds are all around my neighborhood in southern Tennessee, but I had never seen them until I put up two bird feeders by my window. Now they're there constantly, eating my black sunflower seeds. They pick some up, fly to a nearby branch, peck it open, eat it, then come back and get more. Out of all the different birds that come to my feeder, they're my favorite. God made them so beautiful!
<span>M.</span> Fri, 02/10/2017 - 19:19
Here in Winnipeg, Canada this is also a familar sound from childhood. It is the harbinger of spring; simple, a little sad, yet somehow hopeful that warmer weather is just around the corner. I found 3 of these little ones in my bird feeder about a week ago and when I heard them sing out, I recognized their call instantly. This morning, as I trudged through a drift of newly fallen snow, I heard these two notes coming from just above my head. Then right at the wistful end of the song, a little double note up the scale. There was a pause, then ever so faintly on the wind, I heard the song returned, full of promise that spring was just around the corner. Thank you little black capped chickadee.
<span>Shari Warstler</span> Fri, 06/03/2016 - 05:43
i have heard this bird "sing" that two note song for over 10 years. Never could see it but plenty of chickadees around. Finally it showed itself & I could not believe it is the bird that has that utters this sound. Thank you!!!
<span>Julia</span> Thu, 06/02/2016 - 09:00
I live in Montreal, Canada, and I've heard this bird since childhood. To me it always sounded like a playground swing that hasn't been oiled in a while :) This morning there was one right outside my window singing so loudly! I decided to find out who was singing once and for all. Now I know it's a Black-capped Chickadee. Thanks so much!
<span>Penny Fuller</span> Wed, 04/20/2016 - 02:02
I hear this song in the late spring and early summer months in the Tualatin River Valley in northwest Oregon. One of my favorites.
<span>1Smokinjo</span> Fri, 04/17/2015 - 10:28
This sweet little bird wakes me up every morning come spring. I live in north Mission BC, a sure sign that spring has sprung:)
<span>Brandilyn Collins</span> Mon, 04/13/2015 - 11:57
Finally I've found the bird that makes this sweet sound in the spring and summer. We live in northern Idaho.
<span>Cindy H95</span> Fri, 04/11/2014 - 19:08
I did not realize it was this bird that had this song. I was just telling my little girl that I know when it's spring time cos I hear these birds. I see these guys all winter but only hear this song during the spring/summer time, thats why I always thought it was some other bird that went away for the winter.