Mountain Chickadees in Nevada

Mountain Chickadees live in Nevada all year. Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward pine and fir seeds.

Great Basin cold desert in the north and Mojave hot desert around Las Vegas.

Across Nevada, mountain chickadees typically nest from May–July. Nest site: cavity or nest box lined with fur. Females lay 5–9 eggs, incubate for 14 days, and young leave the nest after 18–21 days.

Very hot, dry summers; water is the top attractant.

• Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — mountain chickadees begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
• Use a 1 1/8 in 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.

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

Mountain Chickadees drop to lower-elevation towns in winter and readily use nest boxes.

• Best foods: Black-oil sunflower, Suet, Peanut hearts.
• In Nevada's winter: Cold, dry winters in Reno and the north; mild winters in the south.

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