Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyParidae (Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice)
- GenusPoecile (Chickadees and Allies)
- SpeciesPoecile gambeli (Mountain Chickadee)
About the Mountain Chickadee
The mountain chickadee (Poecile gambeli) is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The specific name honors naturalist William Gambel. The mountain chickadee was formerly placed in the genus Parus with most other tits, but mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data and morphology suggest that separating Poecile more adequately expresses these birds' relationships. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the mountain chickadee is sister to the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).
Adults of both sexes have a black cap joining a black postocular stripe behind distinctive white eyebrows. Their backs and flanks are gray and they have paler gray underparts; they have a short black bill, and a black bib. The typical adult wingspan is 7.5 in (19 cm), and the overall length is 5–6 in (13–15 cm). The Mountain Chickadee is one of 55 species of chickadees and tits. The mountain chickadee can be distinguished from other North American chickadees because mountain chickadees are marked with a white line through the side of their black cap, whereas all other North American chickadees have a solid black-cap. Another difference between the... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Mountain Chickadee in Rocky Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Rocky Mountain National Park
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Pygmy Nuthatch
Sitta pygmaea
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Violet-green Swallow
Tachycineta thalassina
Pine Siskin
Spinus pinus
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Mountain Chickadee in Rocky Mountain National Park?
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Mountain Chickadee sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park, based on 10,583 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Mountain Chickadee in Rocky Mountain National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Mountain Chickadee in Rocky Mountain National Park in our monthly data.