Vermont · Year-round resident

Black-capped Chickadees in Vermont

When black-capped chickadees are present in Vermont, when they nest, which native Vermont plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.

Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons

Status in Vermont: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–5b
Nest box: 1 1/8 in round hole, 4 × 4 in floor, 5–15 ft

When to expect black-capped chickadees in Vermont

Black-capped Chickadees live in Vermont all year. Long, snowy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward cached seeds and insect eggs; suet and sunflower at feeders; poison-ivy and bayberry fruit.

Humid continental, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.

Nesting in Vermont

Across Vermont, black-capped chickadees typically nest from May–July. Nest site: excavates or reuses cavities in soft, rotting wood; readily uses nest boxes. Females lay 1–13 eggs (usually 6–8), incubate for 11–14 days, and young leave the nest after 12–16 days.

Short, mild summers.

Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — black-capped chickadees begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
Use a 1 1/8 in round entrance on a 4 × 4 in floor, mounted 5–15 ft.
Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
Clean out old nests after each brood and again after July.

Native Vermont plants that attract black-capped chickadees

Of the regional native plants we track for Vermont, these 8 provide food or cover black-capped chickadees use:

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

Feeding black-capped chickadees through the Vermont year

Chickadees grab one seed, leave to hammer it open or hide it, then return. They are among the first to find a new feeder.

Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Suet, Shelled peanuts, Hulled sunflower.
In Vermont's winter: Long, snowy winters.

Full diet breakdown for black-capped chickadees · Best feeder for black-capped chickadees

Frequently asked

Are black-capped chickadees in Vermont year-round?

Yes. Black-capped Chickadees are year-round residents in Vermont.

When do black-capped chickadees nest in Vermont?

Nesting in Vermont typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 1–13 eggs (usually 6–8), incubated for 11–14 days.

What native plants attract black-capped chickadees in Vermont?

Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush are native plants in Vermont that provide food or cover for black-capped chickadees.

What size birdhouse hole do black-capped chickadees need?

1 1/8 in round, with a floor of 4 × 4 in mounted 5–15 ft.

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.