FAMILY ParidcB 



roads. The Oregon chickadee prefers the 

 lower branches of the trees and may be 

 found trooping through the woods, often in 

 company with kinglets and bush-tits, peering 

 into crevices and holes in trees or tearing 

 open the rolled up leaves and cocoons in 

 search of fat grubs. 



The gray and black of its plumage blends 

 so well with its surroundings that the Oregon 

 chickadee is often hard to see against the 

 mottled bark of its favorite alder and dog- 

 wood trees, but its distinct whistled song of 

 three notes, or its chickadee, dee, dee, dee, call 

 notes will help to identify this species. 



The Oregon chickadee is resident wherever 

 found and because of the nature of its food 

 supply is able to exist in the coldest weather. 

 It has the habit of using its last year's nesting 

 hole to sleep in during cold nights, several 

 birds often occupying the same hole together. 

 The Oregon chickadee builds its nest in 

 natural cavities in trees, old woodpeckers' 

 holes or bird boxes. Large quantities of warm 

 materials are gathered to fill the bottom of 

 the cavity, the lining being usually bits of 

 animal hair of various kinds and feathers. 

 The tiny eggs number from five to nine. 

 They are pure white, thickly dotted with 

 reddish brown. 



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