Massachusetts is not that populous state. This state is small and similar to other states, Massachusetts also has a state animal or state bird.
The state animal of Massachusetts is not yet declared but the state marine animal is the Right whale. But what about the state bird?
The state bird of Massachusetts is the black-capped chickadee that was chosen in 1941. This tiny, black, and white bird have an oversized head.
The chickadees are also known as a black-cap titmouse. These birds usually eat insects, plants, and poison ivy.
And In this article, I’ll explain all the facts related to black-chapped Chickadee in detail.
Why did Massachusetts choose the black-capped Chickadee as their state bird?
The reason for choosing the black-capped Chickadee as the state bird is not provided by the legislation.
These birds are usually found in all of the woody areas of the state including open woods, willow thickets, parks, groves, mixed forests, and deciduous forests.
The cuteness of these birds appealed to the state residents. These birds openly approach the humans and the black-capped chickadee approaches everything about life.
When did Massachusetts get its state bird?
The legislature of Massachusetts adopted the black-capped chickadee on March 21, 1941. This state shared the state bird with Maine.
What does the black-capped Chickadee look like?
The black-capped Chickadee has some unique characteristics that include a V-shaped band of black and it seems like the bird is wearing a tuxedo or q sharp suit with its white or cream-breasted feathers.
These birds have a silver beak with a black forehead and face. The stomach of these birds is cream-colored or white. But their back grows in greyish and even they features a grey and black tail & wings.
When it comes to making a difference between these the genders of these birds, then there is no difference in terms of length. They both grow between 4.7 to 5.8 inches in length.
The weight of these birds is between 0.3175 to 0.4938 ounces and their wingspan is 6.28 to 8.26 inches.
How do these birds behave?
The black-capped chickadees are friendly and gregarious birds who mate for life. These birds do not have complex mating rituals. The male birds will chase off encroaching female birds.
These birds form a couple and break off from the flock. The couple birds create their nest together and it is generally in the tree cavities.
They prefer cavities that have partially rotted wood because it provides a softer foundation.
The female chickadees add moss and other soft material to the nest which makes it comfortable for breeding. In a week, the nesting process gets completed.
These birds can lay about six eggs but it can range from one egg to eleven eggs per brood. The incubation period of these birds is 12 days and during this time, the male bird brings food for her.
Sometimes, he may call her from the nest for feeding when he locates suitable meals or she may call him to bring the food for her.
Now when the babies hatch from the egg, the female bird tends to stay with the babies, and the male bird hunts and forages for food.
The male bird brings the food back to the nest to feed the whole family. The babies of these birds grow quickly and they venture from the nest at 16 days.
After ten days of its first flight, the chicks can venture out to find food. These birds have an average lifespan of two to three years but they can record a life span of 11 years and six months.
Do Black-Capped Chickadees form communities?
Black-capped chickadees generally form nuclear families and they are monogamous birds that mate for life. During the winter season, these birds do form a group and travel to meet and mate.
In the flock, they find a partner for themselves. Once they get coupled, they build a nest together. The nest of these birds is at a height of four to 15 feet in height.
This height of the nest is generally preferred to avoid predators. When these birds build their home, they want to stay there and raise their family.
During the winter season, the black-capped chickadees relocate to find a friendly habitat for breeding. The nesting period of these birds generally begins in April and continued until June.
When it comes to the flock of these chickadees, generally consists of dozen or fewer birds among which some are adults, some are single, and others are juveniles.
These birds do interact with other birds like Tufted Titmice, White-Breasted Nuthatch, and Downy Woodpecker.
What do Black-Capped Chickadees eat?
Meat is the favorite diet part of the black-capped chickadees. During the winter season, these birds consume insects, egg cases, and insect larvae which constitute 50 percent of their diet.
While in summer, the availability of the insects increases and so does the consumption of black-capped chickadees.
In summers, the insect’s diet constitutes 80 percent of their diet. They also dine on spruce budworms, cankerworms, and caterpillars.
If you want to attract these birds at your place, then you may use a suet feeder or offer black oil sunflower seeds to them.
These birds do not consume the food in groups. A single chickadee will feed at a time and the other will wait at that time. Once completed, the other chickadee will turn at the feeder.
Conclusion
The state bird of Massachusetts is black-capped chickadees who generally eat plants and insects. These bird species make their nest together and feed them together.
The lifespan of these birds is between two to three years but can be extended to 11 years as well.
At last, I hope this article might have helped you in some ways. Thank You For Reading!
Related Articles You May Like