Mountain Chickadee
Learn to identify the Mountain Chickadee by ear. Master the "fee-bee... fee-bay!" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Mountain Chickadee sounds like
A tiny, lively chickadee of western mountain forests. Look for the crisp white eyebrow over its black cap as it bounces through pine and fir branches, calling in bright, scratchy bursts.
“fee-bee... fee-bay!”
How to tell it apart
Where you'll hear it
This species is a year-round resident in the mountains of western North America, from the Rockies to the Sierra and Cascades. Many stay put, but some move downslope in winter when snow deepens.
Mountain Chickadees love conifer woods — pine, fir, spruce, and mixed evergreen forests. In winter, they often drift lower and show up at feeders near forest edges and foothill towns.
They are active in every season, often traveling in cheerful mixed flocks in fall and winter. Spring brings whistled songs and cavity nesting, while summer is full of busy family groups in the trees.
Similar species
Black-capped Chickadee
Lacks the bold white eyebrow.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Shows rich chestnut sides and back, not mostly gray.
Boreal Chickadee
Has a brown cap, not black.