Tits and chickadees (Paridae)
Baby chestnut-backed chickadees: from egg to fledgling
A Chestnut-backed Chickadee lays 5–7 eggs. They hatch after 12–18 days, and the young leave the nest 18–21 days later — about 30–39 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 5–7 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–18 days
- Time in the nest
- 18–21 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 30–39 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
- Nest
- Cavity or nest box with a thick fur lining
- Uses nest boxes
- Yes — 1 1/8 in hole
Stage by stage
- Eggs (12–18 days): 5–7 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (18–21 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season chestnut-backed chickadees mainly eat caterpillars and aphids.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young chestnut-backed chickadees are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1 per season.
When chestnut-backed chickadees nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in California (Mar) and latest in Alaska (May). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alaska | May–Jun |
| British Columbia | May–Jun |
| California | Mar–Jun |
| Idaho | Apr–Jun |
| Montana | May–Jun |
| Oregon | Apr–Jun |
| Washington | Apr–Jun |
Found a baby Chestnut-backed Chickadee?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about chestnut-backed chickadees
Frequently asked
How long do baby chestnut-backed chickadees stay in the nest?
About 18–21 days after hatching. Eggs take 12–18 days to hatch, so it is roughly 30–39 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Chestnut-backed Chickadee lay?
5–7 eggs per clutch, with 1 per season.
Where do chestnut-backed chickadees nest?
Cavity or nest box with a thick fur lining.
What should I do if I find a baby Chestnut-backed Chickadee on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.