The bird also has a black bib. Hamel, P. B. They are small-sized birds overall, usually having the crown of the head and throat patch distinctly darker than the body. Amber Rice, assistant … Identification: Black-capped vs. Carolina Chickadee Across most of eastern North America, chickadee identification is simple. Dec. 2, 2015 — New research on northern (black-capped) and southern (Carolina) species of chickadees offers some answers. In some areas, the Carolina and black-capped chickadees live together and can be very hard to tell apart. The land manager's guide to the birds of the south. A bird almost universally considered “cute” thanks to its oversized round head, tiny body, and curiosity about everything, including humans. It has a sooty black cap, that extends towards the lower back, as well as white cheeks. As a class, we wanted to provide a habitat for wildlife, so we voted on a project that we could do to address this need. Chickadee Cabin is located near town and only steps from the southern entrance to the Appalachian Trail. Carolina Chickadee occurs in the south and Black-capped in the north ((Black-capped overlaps with Boreal Chickadee in the far north, but those species are easily separated)). The upper parts of the bird are olive gray with darker tail feathers. All chickadee species give “chick-a-dee” calls, but only three of them — Black-capped, Carolina, and Mountain — have whistled songs. Carolina Chickadee A relative of the black-capped chickadee, the Carolina chickadee forages for insects and berries on the ground. After doing some research, we determined that the Carolina Chickadee would be our focus. Birds of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Chapel Hill and London: University of North Carolina Press. 3. The chickadees are a group of North American birds in the tit family included in the genus Poecile.Species found in North America are referred to as chickadees, while other species in the genus are called tits. However, the Carolina chickadee does have a close cousin, the black-capped chickadee that looks very similar. Since these three species are the most widespread and familiar North American chickadees, many people tend to judge other chickadees by their standard. The Carolina chickadee exists mostly in the Southern parts of the United States, usually in the woods or along the edges of streams. 1992. The best way to distinguish between the Carolina chickadee and the black-capped chickadee is by song and location. The chickadee’s black cap and bib; white cheeks; gray back, wings, and tail; and whitish underside with buffy sides are distinctive. 1992. In Kentucky, the Carolina chickadee is pretty much our only species of chickadee. She began offering a class in her store for children to build small roosting boxes for chickadees. 2. However, Black-capped Chickadees, Carolina Chickadees and Mountain Chickadees are the most common. Sheldon, F. H., et al. Simpson MB Jr. 1992. The Nature Conservancy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. These small birds can live a relatively long life. The oldest banded Black-capped Chickadee in the wild lived 12 years and 5 month while the oldest banded Carolina Chickadee in the wild lived 10 years and 11 months. 367 pp + several appendices. Carolina chickadee, Codorus State Park Headquarters, Hanover, Pennsylvania.