Black-capped chickadee
Smart, sophisticated and social
CHICKADEE-DEE-DEE. Chickadee-deedee. Is there a Canadian that doesn’t recognize that song? Likely not, particularly because its singer, the handsomely dressed black-capped chickadee, is found across almost the entire nation (the very Far North being the exception). And like any hardy Canuck — or any bird worthy of officially representing our country — it lives here year-round. While the chickadee favours deciduous forests and open woodland, it’s also at home in urban areas (not unlike many Canadians) where it regularly and actively visits backyard feeders. Its curious, social nature emboldens it as it nabs free seeds, suet or peanuts, which it stocks up in thousands of different locations for later use (smart plan, that, for a well-prepared Canadian), which its great memory helps it recall. Given its range, not to mention its distinctive acrobatic, bouncy flight, the chickadee is easily recognizable to rural and urban Canadians alike. It likewise attracts great attention from other bird species, many of which comfortably flock with, and follow, chickadees (leadership qualities!). Other birds respond to its alarm calls, even where those species don’t have warning calls of their own, similar to Canadians’ inclination to look out for one another. Of course, that alarm call, and the chickadee’s songs in general, are believed to be very much like language (did you know the more “dees” in the call, the higher the threat level?), reflecting the species’ great intellect. Bottom line, the people of New Brunswick, who named the chickadee their provincial bird in 1983, are way ahead of the game. This smart, sophisticated, social chirper is eminently worthy of substantial recognition. Now, Canadians, it’s your turn to get in on the chickadee-dee-dee.