When a Black-capped Chickadee disappears into a small hole with a beak full of fur, it's embarking on one of nature's most challenging tasks: raising the next generation.
These beloved backyard birds create small miracles inside tree cavities across North America, transforming simple chambers into nurseries where new life begins.
Nesting Timeline
Black-capped Chickadees typically follow a predictable nesting calendar that varies slightly depending on location. In southern portions of their range, the process begins earlier, while northern populations start later as spring arrives.
Late March to April: Chickadee pairs investigate potential nest sites, with females examining natural cavities in trees, rotting stumps, or nest boxes. The distinctive "chickadee-dee-dee" calls continue during this period, though pairs become more secretive about their chosen nest location.
April to early May: Once a site is selected, the female does most of the excavation work if creating a new cavity. This process takes 7-10 days of persistent effort, with the bird carrying wood chips away from the nest site—a clever strategy to avoid drawing predators' attention to the nest location.
Early to mid-May: Nest construction begins inside the newly created or selected cavity. The female builds a cup-shaped structure using moss as a foundation, then adding plant fibers and lining it with soft materials like rabbit fur, plant down, or feathers. This soft cup will cradle the eggs and eventually the nestlings.
Nesting Black-capped Chickadee poking its head out of the cavity
Mid-May: The female lays 6-8 small white eggs speckled with reddish-brown markings. She typically deposits one egg per day until the clutch is complete.
Mid to late May: Incubation begins once all eggs are laid and lasts 12-13 days. The female handles all incubation duties while the male regularly brings her food.
Late May to early June: Eggs hatch asynchronously over 1-2 days. The naked, blind nestlings develop rapidly.
June: Both parents feed the nestlings constantly, making up to 70 food deliveries daily at peak times. Nestlings grow quickly, developing feathers and eyes that open after about a week.
Mid to late June: After 16-18 days in the nest, young chickadees fledge but stay near their parents, continuing to beg for food for 2-3 more weeks.
Black-capped Chickadee nest
Nesting Behavior and Signs to Watch For
Chickadee nesting behavior offers fascinating glimpses into their private lives. Careful observers might notice several telltale signs that nesting is underway:
Cavity excavation
A chickadee repeatedly visiting the same spot on a tree or stump, removing tiny wood chips and flying away to discard them. Unlike woodpeckers, chickadees make almost no sound during this process. Look for this behavior in rotting birch trees, soft maple snags, or very decayed stumps—chickadees can only excavate in soft wood.
Material gathering
A bird carrying beakfuls of moss, animal hair, plant fibers, or feathers. The female might make dozens of trips, gradually assembling the interior nest cup. She often flies directly to the cavity entrance, pauses briefly to check for danger, and then disappears inside with her building materials.
Feeding visits
Once nestlings hatch, both parents make frequent trips to the nest with food. They typically approach the cavity, pause on a nearby branch to scan for threats, and then dart quickly into the entrance. Within seconds, they emerge without food and fly off to hunt again. Caterpillars, small insects, and spiders form the bulk of nestlings' diet.
Fecal sac removal
Parents keep the nest meticulously clean by removing nestlings' waste. After feeding, adults often emerge carrying small white packages (fecal sacs) that they dispose of away from the nest site—an important sanitation measure that helps prevent predators from finding the nest.
Begging fledglings
In late June or early July, family groups become more visible as young chickadees follow their parents through the trees. The recently fledged young, identifiable by their cleaner, fresher plumage and slightly yellow-tinged flanks, beg with wing-quivering and high-pitched calls.
When suitable natural nesting cavities aren't available, Black-capped Chickadees will use nest boxes
Nest Cavities and Nest Boxes
Black-capped Chickadees naturally nest in tree cavities, but finding the perfect spot requires specific conditions.
Natural nests are typically found in dead or decaying tree trunks, particularly in birch, alder, or maple trees with soft wood. The entrance hole measures about 1⅛ inches in diameter—just large enough for the birds to enter but small enough to exclude many potential predators.
Chickadees readily accept nest boxes when natural cavities are scarce. A properly designed chickadee nest box should have:
- Interior dimensions of approximately 4×4 inches
- A depth of 8-10 inches from the entrance to the floor
- An entrance hole exactly 1⅛ inches in diameter (this specific size is critical)
- No perch (which can aid predators)
- Rough interior surfaces to help fledglings climb out
- Proper ventilation and drainage holes
Mount nest boxes 5-15 feet high on a tree or post, facing away from prevailing winds and preferably with some morning sun but afternoon shade. Installing boxes by late February gives chickadees time to discover them before the nesting season begins.
Inside of a Black-capped Chickadee nest box, with parent looking after the chicks
Common Misconceptions
Despite their popularity, several misconceptions persist about chickadee nesting:
Multiple broods: Unlike some songbirds, Black-capped Chickadees typically raise only one brood per year throughout most of their range. When people observe chickadees feeding young in late summer, they're usually seeing the extended parental care period rather than a second nesting attempt.
Nest reuse: Chickadees rarely reuse the same nest cavity in consecutive years. Less than 10% of pairs return to a previous nest site, preferring to excavate new cavities or find different natural holes each spring—a behavior that may reduce parasite loads.
Birdhouse acceptance: Many commercially available birdhouses have entrance holes that are too large for chickadees. These birds strongly prefer the security of a smaller 1⅛-inch opening that excludes larger competitors and predators.
Black-capped Chickadee at nesting cavity with green worm
Attracting Nesting Chickadees
To encourage chickadees to nest in your yard:
- Preserve dead trees: If safe to do so, leave standing dead trees (snags) in your yard, as these provide natural excavation sites.
- Install proper nest boxes: Mount appropriately sized nest boxes by late winter, filling them halfway with wood shavings (not sawdust) to encourage chickadees to "excavate."
- Provide nesting materials: In early spring, offer natural fibers like animal fur, plant down, or moss in mesh bags or platform feeders.
- Maintain food sources: Continue providing black oil sunflower seeds at feeders through spring, as parent birds will supplement their insect diet with seeds.
- Plant native trees and shrubs: Species like birch, maple, and native conifers provide both potential nest sites and natural food sources.
- Avoid pesticides: Chickadees need caterpillars and insects to feed their young—pesticides reduce this critical food source.
Black-capped Chickadee building and clearing out the nest cavity - wood shavings in beak
Challenges and Threats
Even with careful preparation, chickadee nests face several threats:
House wrens frequently destroy chickadee eggs and nests by piercing eggs and removing nesting material. If house wrens are common in your area, place nest boxes away from brushy habitat that attracts wrens.
House sparrows and European starlings may outcompete chickadees for nesting sites, though the smaller entrance hole on properly designed chickadee boxes helps exclude these larger birds.
Predators like raccoons, cats, and some snakes can raid nests. Mount boxes on poles with predator guards to increase nesting success.
Five Black-capped Chickadee eggs inside the nest
Observing Responsibly
When you discover a chickadee nest, enjoy watching from a respectful distance. Approach observation points slowly, limit your time near active nests, and never touch or disturb the nest. Chickadees are relatively tolerant of human presence compared to many birds, but excessive disturbance can cause nest abandonment.
The soft, high-pitched begging calls of nestlings become audible as they grow, allowing birdwatchers to monitor progress without direct nest inspection. The increasing volume and frequency of these calls signal that fledging day approaches.
Witnessing the first flight of young chickadees as they leave the nest is one of spring's most rewarding experiences—a moment that passes in seconds but represents weeks of dedicated parental care and a triumph over countless challenges.
Black-capped Chickadee feeding a recently fledged chick