Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834)    Synonyms: CACH, Carolina Tit.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Passeriformes   >   Family Paridae   >   Genus Poecile   

Status:

Common resident throughout Maryland except in the western two counties, where it is replaced by Black-capped Chickadee. Hybrids are readily detected around Sideling Hill, such as on Woodmont Road in Washington County. Rare in Allegany County and Garrett County.

Description:

Note the silvery-gray edges to the inner greater coverts and secondaries, lacking the white hockey stick pattern of Black-capped. The white cheek patch grays toward the black nape where the border is rounded, not squared as in Black-capped. Typically has a cleaner edge to the bib and a shorter tail than Black-capped. Song is 3-4 notes versus the 2-note song of Black-capped. Other Black-capped vocalizations are lower and slower.

There are 1,579 records in the project database.

View full eBird Range Map

View taxon at iNaturalist

View taxon at NatureServe

Search Google Images

Search MBP Facebook posts (beta | requires login)


[View seasonality details]

Carolina Chickadee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/31/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). - Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist.

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO 
A Carolina Chickadee in Somerset Co., Maryland (10/10/10). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)(More of this species)

A Carolina Chickadee in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (5/24/2019). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (3/7/2020). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Harford Co., Maryland (9/8/2014). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee discovers an egg case among dead leaves in Howard Co., Maryland (1/13/2015). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Harford Co., Maryland (4/8/2018). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Carroll Co., Maryland (10/8/2006). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/5/2020). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee feeding on Eastern Poison Ivy fruit in Frederick Co., Maryland (12/24/2021). No rights reserved. Photo by Andy Wilson via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (2/3/2008). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Dorchester Co., Maryland (3/21/2008). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Harford Co., Maryland (2/5/2017). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (11/18/2013). Photo by Benjamin DeHaven. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Worcester Co., Maryland (12/29/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Washington Co., Maryland (10/9/2022). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Cecil Co., Maryland (11/29/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Harford Co., Maryland (2/10/2016). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/25/2012). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

A wet Carolina Chickadee in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/24/2020). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (12/28/2020). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee feeding chicks in Harford Co., Maryland (5/21/2020). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Harford Co., Maryland (1/26/2016). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Montgomery Co., Maryland (2/19/2021). (c) pablo vidal-ribas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by pablo_vidal-ribas via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee feeding on Sweet Gum in Dorchester Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (12/8/2022). (c) gabriel819, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by gabriel819 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/14/2023). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/14/2022). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee captured in flight in Baltimore Co., Maryland (12/19/2013). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee in Harford Co., Maryland (3/23/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in presumed nesting cavity in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/11/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee nest with one egg and three recently hatched young at Fort Smallwood in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/7/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Carolina Chickadee nest with eggs at Chino Farms in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/30/2016). Photo by Maren Gimpel. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/23/2017). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

Carolina Chickadee gathers fur from a dead mammal for nest lining in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/3/2022). (c) Ron Wertz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by Ron Wertz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


View All Images

Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.