Carolina Chickadees in Missouri

Carolina Chickadees live in Missouri all year. Cold winters with variable snow; ice storms can shut down natural food for days. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward seeds and small fruit; sunflower, suet and peanuts at feeders.

Humid continental, from the Ozark Plateau in the south to prairie and river floodplains in the north.

Across Missouri, Carolina chickadees typically nest from April–June. Nest site: cavities in dead wood or nest boxes, often with moss nesting material. Females lay 3–10 eggs, incubate for 11–14 days, and young leave the nest after 13–17 days.

Hot, humid summers.

• Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — Carolina 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 June.

Of the regional native plants we track for Missouri, these 8 provide food or cover Carolina chickadees use:

Like other chickadees they carry off single seeds to eat or cache, and often lead mixed flocks with titmice and nuthatches to feeders.

• Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Suet, Shelled peanuts.
• In Missouri's winter: Cold winters with variable snow; ice storms can shut down natural food for days.

Full diet breakdown for Carolina chickadees · Best feeder for Carolina chickadees