Chickadees are familiar birds often observed across North America. These small, adaptable birds are known for their curious nature, making them a welcome sight in many backyards. Their distinctive “chick-a-dee-dee” call gives them their common name and highlights their lively presence. Constantly on the move, chickadees actively explore their surroundings.
Natural Diet
Chickadees are omnivores, and their diet changes with the seasons. During the breeding season, typically in summer, their diet consists primarily of insects, making up about 80-90% of what they eat. This includes caterpillars, spiders, insect eggs, larvae, pupae, and other small invertebrates gleaned from twigs, branches, bark, and leaves. They often hang upside down to access food on the undersides of branches.
As colder months arrive and insects become scarcer, their diet shifts to approximately 50% animal matter and 50% plant matter, such as seeds and berries. They also consume fat from carrion when available. Chickadees exhibit a behavior called “scatter-hoarding,” where they cache thousands of food items in various hidden locations, remembering where these high-energy sources are stored for later retrieval.
Feeder Offerings
To attract chickadees, offer specific foods at feeders. Black oil sunflower seeds are a popular choice due to their high fat content, which provides ample energy, and their thin shells, which chickadees can easily crack. Chickadees typically grab a single seed and fly to a nearby perch to open it before returning for more. Shelled peanuts or peanut pieces are another excellent option, as they are rich in energy and fat; offer them chopped into smaller pieces.
Suet provides a concentrated source of fat and energy, valuable during colder months and suitable year-round, and chickadees readily visit suet feeders. Safflower seeds can also be offered; while chickadees eat them, their thick shells are more challenging to open than sunflower seeds. A benefit of safflower is its bitter taste, which deters squirrels and larger birds. Nyjer (thistle) seeds may be sampled by chickadees, but they generally prefer larger seeds like sunflower. Providing fresh, shallow water in a birdbath year-round is also beneficial for both drinking and bathing.
Foods to Avoid
To feed chickadees responsibly, know which foods can be harmful. Moldy birdseed is dangerous, as it can harbor Aspergillus molds and other bacteria that cause severe respiratory problems and fatal avian diseases. Always discard any birdseed that appears clumpy, discolored, or has an unusual, musty odor. Cleaning feeders regularly helps prevent mold and bacterial growth.
Salted items, including nuts, are detrimental to birds and should never be offered. Processed human foods and bread products provide little nutritional value, acting as “empty calories” that fill a bird’s stomach without supplying necessary energy. Some molds found on bread can also be toxic to birds. Birdseed mixes containing excessive fillers like corn or oats are often discarded by chickadees, leading to waste and potentially attracting rodents.