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70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Poecile rufescens

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Poecile
Species: rufescens

La. passer sparrow small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. parum too little
La. parus titmouse, tomtit

La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. poecile painted
La. rufus red
La. escens approaching

Painting of a chestnut-backed chickadee perched on a coniferous tree branch

About four inches long. Dark brown crown, rich dark chestnut back, sides and flanks. Black throat and white sides of neck and underside. Grayish rusty wings. Gray tail edged with white.

USGS range map shows Chestnut-backed chickadees are most densely populated in coastal areas from California to British Colombia, inland in northern Idaho and less densely so in surrounding areas.

Chestnut-backed chickadees are year around residents in coniferous and mixed forests in western and coastal areas from southern California to Alaska and inland from northeast Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana to southern British Colombia and southwestern Alberta.

They forage in trees and thickets for insects, their eggs and larvae, spiders, cone seeds and various wild fruits.

They are regular visitors at winter feeders. Feed chickadees suet, suet mixes, peanut butter, various nuts, safflower, sunflower seeds, nyjer (thistle seed) and other small seeds and bread crumbs.

Attract chestnut-backed chickadees. Plant bayberry, sumac and other wild fruit and cover-providing shrubs and coniferous trees.

Chestnut-backed chickadees build nests of fine grass, feathers, plant fiber, hair and fur in abandoned or natural tree cavities or ones they excavate themselves.

Illustration of chestnut-backed chickadees on tree branches in a wintery forest.

Females lay five to seven, more or less, white, sometimes speckled eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.

The Chestnut-backed chickadee birdhouse is the same as for Siberian chickadees, pygmy & brown-headed nuthatches.

It has a 4″ by 4″ floor and a 9″ inside floor to ceiling height. The entrance hole is 1 1/8″ diameter and is located 7″ above the floor.

Ventilation openings are cut into the floor and in the sides under the roof. A hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks.

Assemble with corrosion resistant screws. Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces and regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces to reduce wood splitting.

Mount nest box on a tree trunk or hang from a tree limb from chest level to just out of reach, higher if necessary.

Place a few chips (not sawdust) on the nest box floor.

Remove the nest and clean the box well after the brood rearing season is past.

Nuthatches, titmice, and other chickadees may use this box.

If you mount a winter bird warmer and occasionally lift the lid in cold weather, you may see several cuddling chickadees and possibly with nuthatches and titmice.

Visit the Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse Page.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse

View and print the chestnut-backed chickadee nest box plans.

View or Print Plans

Visit the Winter Bird Warmer Page.

Winter Bird Warmer

Home            Birds             Birdhouses            Birdhouse Plans          Birdhouse Forum

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Poecile rufescens

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Poecile
Species: rufescens

La. passer sparrow small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. parum too little
La. parus titmouse, tomtit

La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. poecile painted
La. rufus red
La. escens approaching

Painting of a chestnut-backed chickadee perched on a coniferous tree branch

About four inches long. Dark brown crown, rich dark chestnut back, sides and flanks. Black throat and white sides of neck and underside. Grayish rusty wings. Gray tail edged with white.

USGS range map shows Chestnut-backed chickadees are most densely populated in coastal areas from California to British Colombia, inland in northern Idaho and less densely so in surrounding areas.

Chestnut-backed chickadees are year around residents in coniferous and mixed forests in western and coastal areas from southern California to Alaska and inland from northeast Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana to southern British Colombia and southwestern Alberta.

They forage in trees and thickets for insects, their eggs and larvae, spiders, cone seeds and various wild fruits.

They are regular visitors at winter feeders. Feed chickadees suet, suet mixes, peanut butter, various nuts, safflower, sunflower seeds, nyjer (thistle seed) and other small seeds and bread crumbs.

Attract chestnut-backed chickadees. Plant bayberry, sumac and other wild fruit and cover-providing shrubs and coniferous trees.

Chestnut-backed chickadees build nests of fine grass, feathers, plant fiber, hair and fur in abandoned or natural tree cavities or ones they excavate themselves.

Illustration of chestnut-backed chickadees on tree branches in a wintery forest.

Females lay five to seven, more or less, white, sometimes speckled eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.

The Chestnut-backed chickadee birdhouse is the same as for Siberian chickadees, pygmy & brown-headed nuthatches.

It has a 4″ by 4″ floor and a 9″ inside floor to ceiling height. The entrance hole is 1 1/8″ diameter and is located 7″ above the floor.

Ventilation openings are cut into the floor and under the roof. A hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks.

Assemble with corrosion resistant screws. Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces and regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces to reduce wood splitting.

Mount nest box on a tree trunk or hang from a tree limb from chest level to just out of reach, higher if necessary.

Place a few chips (not sawdust) on the nest box floor.

Remove the nest and clean the box well after the brood rearing season is past.

Nuthatches, titmice, and other chickadees may use this box.

If you mount a winter bird warmer and occasionally lift the lid in cold weather, you may see several cuddling chickadees and possibly with nuthatches and titmice.

Visit the Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse Page

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse

View and print chestnut-backed chickadee birdhouse plans.

View/Print Plans

Visit the Winter Bird Warmer Page.

Winter Bird Warmer

Home          Birds           Birdhouses          Birdhouse Plans        Birdhouse Forum

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Birds  |  Birdhouses  |  Plans  |  Home

Painting of a chestnut-backed chickadee perched on a coniferous tree branch

Poecile rufescens

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Poecile
Species: rufescens

La. passer sparrow small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. parum too little
La. parus titmouse, tomtit

La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. poecile painted
La. rufus red
La. escens approaching

About four inches long. Dark brown crown, rich dark chestnut back, sides and flanks. Black throat and white sides of neck and underside. Grayish rusty wings. Gray tail edged with white.

USGS range map shows Chestnut-backed chickadees are most densely populated in coastal areas from California to British Colombia, inland in northern Idaho and less densely so in surrounding areas.

Chestnut-backed chickadees are year around residents in coniferous and mixed forests in western and coastal areas from southern California to Alaska and inland from northeast Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana to southern British Colombia and southwestern Alberta.

Illustration of chestnut-backed chickadees on tree branches in a wintery forest.

They forage in trees and thickets for insects, their eggs and larvae, spiders, cone seeds and various wild fruits.

They are regular visitors at winter feeders. Feed chickadees suet, suet mixes, peanut butter, various nuts, safflower, sunflower seeds, nyjer (thistle seed) and other small seeds and bread crumbs.

Attract chestnut-backed chickadees. Plant bayberry, sumac and other wild fruit and cover-providing shrubs and coniferous trees.

Chestnut-backed chickadees build nests of fine grass, feathers, plant fiber, hair and fur in abandoned or natural tree cavities or ones they excavate themselves.

Females lay five to seven, more or less, white, sometimes speckled eggs, which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.

Visit the Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse Page.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse

The Chestnut-backed chickadee birdhouse is the same as for Siberian chickadees, pygmy & brown-headed nuthatches.

It has a 4″ by 4″ floor and a 9″ inside floor to ceiling height. The entrance hole is 1 1/8″ diameter and is located 7″ above the floor.

Ventilation openings are cut into the floor and in the sides under the roof. A hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks.

View and print the chestnut-backed chickadee nest box plans.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Birdhouse Plans

Assemble with corrosion resistant screws. Drill countersunk pilot holes in primary work pieces and regular pilot holes in secondary work pieces to reduce wood splitting.

Mount nest box on a tree trunk or hang from a tree limb from chest level to just out of reach, higher if necessary. Place a few chips (not sawdust) on the nest box floor.

Remove the nest and clean the box well after the brood rearing season is past.

Visit the Winter Bird Warmer Page.

Winter Bird Warmer

Chestnut-backed Chickadees are year around residents even in cold climates. If you mount a winter warming box and lift the lid you might find them cuddling with other chickadees and nuthatches.

Nuthatches, titmice, and other chickadees may use these boxes.

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