2 Types of Chickadees in Colorado! (2025)

What kinds of chickadees can you find in Colorado?

Common chickadees in Colorado

Thanks to their bold and inquisitive personalities, chickadees are one of the most popular birds that visit backyard feeding stations. I love watching them fly in quickly to grab a seed and then immediately fly away to eat in private (or store for later)!

In Colorado, you can find 2 different kinds of chickadees.

Below you will learn more about each species AND how to identify them by sight OR sound. Make sure to pay attention to the range maps to see which chickadees live near you!


#1. Black-capped Chickadee

Types of chickadees found in Colorado

Black-capped Chickadees are one of the most beloved birds in Colorado, and it’s easy to see why! These birds are often described as “cute,” as they are tiny, with an oversized head that features a black cap and bib.

Black-capped Chickadee Range Map

black capped chickadee range map

 

Naturally, look for Black-capped Chickadees in Colorado in open deciduous forests, thickets, and cottonwood groves. They also adapt easily to the presence of people and are common to see in backyards and parks.

Black-capped Chickadees are easy to attract to bird feeders!

YouTube video

Press PLAY above to watch a Black-capped Chickadee on my feeders!

In fact, once you set up a new bird feeder, they will likely be the first birds to visit, as they are curious about anything new in their territory. The best foods to use include sunflower, peanuts, and suet. Their small size and athletic ability mean these birds can use just about any type of feeder!

Another great way to attract chickadees is to install appropriately sized nesting boxes around your yard. These birds are cavity nesters, which means they need an enclosed bird house to raise their young.

Here are some tips to consider before hanging up a chickadee nesting box:

chickadees species that live in Colorado

  • Make the diameter of the entrance hole 1-1/8 inches. This prevents larger birds, like House Sparrows, from getting inside and displacing your chickadees.
  • Place your nest box in or at the very edge of the woods. Chickadees won’t use it if it’s in a field.
  • Hang the bird house securely to a tree (don’t let it swing freely) between 5 and 15 feet high.

chickadee bird houses

Woodlink Chickadee Bird House View Cost - Amazon

You can either build a nest box yourself or buy a pre-made chickadee house online.

Try identifying Black-capped Chickadees by their sounds!

These birds are extremely vocal, and you should have no problem hearing one. And luckily, their vocalizations are unique and relatively easy to identify. (Press PLAY below!)

Listen for a song that is a simple 2 or 3 note whistle, which sounds like it’s saying “fee-bee” or “hey sweetie.”

Press PLAY Above!

Black-capped Chickadees also make a distinctive “chickadee-dee-dee” call. And yes, it actually sounds like they are saying their name! Interestingly, they add more “dee” notes onto the end of the call when alarmed.

Lastly, these birds have incredible memories! They hide seeds and other foods in their territory to eat later, which are all hidden separately. Somehow, their brains can remember THOUSANDS of different hiding places!


#2. Mountain Chickadee

mountain chickadee

As the name suggests, if you want to find Mountain Chickadees in Colorado, you will need to head to the mountains! Look for small birds with black heads and a distinctive white eyebrow, which makes them fairly easy to identify.

Mountain Chickadee Range Map

mountain chickadee range map

Like other chickadee species, these birds are agile and curious. They are most often seen flitting from tree to tree in coniferous forests, searching for insects, spiders, seeds, and nuts.

Do you have a house in the mountains?

mountain chickadee on bird feeder

If so, you should easily be able to attract Mountain Chickadees! Try setting up a feeding station filled with sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet.

Press PLAY below to hear a Mountain Chickadee!

Listen for them singing a 3-4 note descending whistle “fee-bee-bay” or “fee-bee-fee-bee.” Some people think it sounds like they are saying “cheeseburger!”

But the most common call you will hear is “chick-a-dee-dee-dee,” which sounds very similar to a Black-capped Chickadee, even though these species tend to pay little attention to each other.


Which chickadees have you seen before in Colorado?

Leave a comment below!

To learn more about birds in Colorado, check out these other guides:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

2 Comments

  1. Finding a non-AI article is like a breath o fresh air. Finally, someone who knows what they are talking about and can give specific, in depth details! I love chickadees. The variety I grew up with in Oregon were so playful and vocal! I live in Colorado now and recently got a home of my own. I’m hoping to attract more birds to my lot, I appreciate the tips!

  2. Scott – We are having chickadees coming up on our porch to get out to the snow and. I have put a small dish of food under a foot stool for them. The coloring has me puzzled, they are all dark, except for snowy white chin and chest. But definitely chickadee size and head shape and the feeding pattern of pecking is exhibited. Do black capped sometimes lose the distinctive cap? Is it seasonal? Or is it a different bird altogether.