Black-Capped Chickadee

The black-capped chickadee is a small bird, measuring about 4-5 inches long. But, despite their small size, they are incredibly acrobatic birds. They fly with a sort of sputtering effect, bobbing up and down in the air. They can also perch sideways or even upside-down on small twigs and branches. They are also very friendly birds, often giving their place at the feeder to another bird, although this is also happens by force many times.

They also have the ability to see independently with their eyes, allowing them to hunt for insects with one eye, and keep a watch out for predators with the other. They often use their beak to pry open tree bark to find small insects. These chickadees also have a special defense mechanism. They often nest in small hollows in trees, and when, say, a squirrel tries to enter the hole when the parent bird is home, the parent bird will take a deep breath, then, as the squirrel pokes his head into the hole, the bird suddenly blows it out at the intruder. The sudden burst of air, accompanied by a loud whistle, is more than enough to scare off the squirrel. The young chickadees also have yellow outlines around their bills, which aids the parents in being able to see the baby when they feed it.