Bedford Audubon Society

A Northern Westchester & Eastern Putnam Counties, New York Chapter of the National Audubon Society

Celebrating 95 Years of Conservation 1913-2008


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The Black-capped Chickadee

Since the Bedford Audubon Society was founded in 1913 by a group of concerned citizens in Bedford Village, the Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus, has remained the mascot and logo of the Society. Our founder’s concerns for the then dwindling populations of local woodland birds, must have viewed the Black-capped Chickadee as the quintessential woodland bird and adopted it for that reason.

Over the years there have been several different versions of our chickadee logo. Early versions depicted a chickadee clinging upside down, onto a white pine branch and cone. Later versions depicted our little chickadee on a leafy birch branch. Well-known artist and club member, Georges Dremeaux of Mount Kisco, New York, drew our current version in 1995. Edward Howe Forbush’s description of the Black-capped Chickadee, as presented below, we believe typifies everyone’s opinion of our “blithe woodland sprite,” the Black-capped Chickadee.

The Call of the Black-capped Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadee at Suet Feeder"The little Blacked-capped Chickadee is the embodiment of cheerfulness, verve and courage. It can boast no elegant plumes, and it makes no claims as a songster, yet this blithe woodland sprite is a distinctive character, and is a bird masterpiece beyond all praise. It is spruce and smart in its plain black, gray and white livery; and its cheery, cordial notes are the 'open sesame' to woodland secrets. Follow the call of the Chickadee and it will introduce you to its brethren and to a sociable gathering of kinglets, nuthatches, a Downy Woodpecker or two, and possibly a Brown Creeper..."

Natural History of the Birds of Eastern and Central N. America,
—Edward Howe Forbush, 1939

Black-capped Chickadees in Nest Box

Black-capped Chickadee at nestboxBlack-capped Chickadee

Size: 5¾"
Description: Gray above with black forehead and cap, a black throat; paler gray over and under ears, white cheeks. Wings have narrow white edge.
Voice: A buzzy "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" or "fee-bee" with the second note lower.
Range: From Alaska and southern Canada throughout the northern half of the US.

This brave, little bird can be persuaded to take food from a person's hand. Flocks of these small birds are frequent visitors to winter feeders.

Top photo Courtesy of and Copyright © by Dick Budnik Photography
DickBudnik@verizon.net   http://mysite.verizon.net/DickBudnik

Middle photo Courtesy of and Copyright © by Tom Meyer

Bottom photo Courtesy of and Copyright © by Rick Paris
rick@rickparis.com   www.rickparis.com

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