Chickadee Resources

chickadee resources - chickadee perched eating a bug

This is a library of all of our chickadee resources. We will continue adding resources as we develop them. Use the page navigation to navigate to your topics of interest to find helpful articles. article. If you can’t find an article that would help you, simply send a request. We can try to develop it, or at least answer your specific questions.

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important bluebird resources

Bluebird housing resources

bluebird predator protection

managing bluebirds and competition species

Managing bluebirds and invasive species

Resources for Monitoring bluebirds

bluebird lifecycle and facts

Bluebird Video Library

Most Important Resources

This is a collection of our most popular, most important chickadee resources. While some of these resources pertain to all bird species, they are here because they are also applicable to chickadees.

Chickadees will accept a wren guard

Most Chickadees Will Accept A Wren Guard: Tips, How-To and Pictures

While chickadees are more skittish compared to bluebirds, most chickadees will accept a wren guard. However, every chickadee is different, ...

Chickadee predators and how to protect them from cats, hawks, blue jays, squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, raccoons and other predators

9 Chickadee Predators and How to Protect Them

Chickadee predators include raccoons, cats, squirrels, rat snakes, birds of prey, chipmunks, squirrels and more. Additionally, larger birds such as ...

Definitive guide to help birds survive winter - 16 incredible tips with video and images - picture of a northern cardinal at winter time

16 Ways to Help Birds Survive Harsh Winters

Days of freezing temperatures can devastate bird populations. During the winter of 2020, several trail monitors reported that they had ...

Diagram of how to set up a wren guard, it's very important to cover the nest box hole and also give the birds space. Wren guards protect against house wren attacks.

Wren Guards Prevent House Wren Attacks in Your Nest Boxes

One of the most devastating things is looking inside your nest box and discovering the eggs your bluebird or chickadee ...

DIY Temporary Chickadee hole reducer hole guard 1 1/8-inch hole reducer guide - this tutorial uses plastic butter or sour cream tub lids and a template from this article to make a very temporary hole reducer for chickadees that can buy you time until your metal hole guard comes in.

Easy Guide To Make a Temporary Chickadee Hole Reducer / Guard To Buy You Time

You've noticed chickadees nesting in your nest box, but oh no! You don't have a hole reducer / hole guard ...

picture of bird eggs for article about whether bird eggs will survive in freezing temperatures

Songbird Eggs May Survive Short Periods of Freezing Weather – Here is Why

There are many systems in place that ensure the survival of bird eggs survival during short snaps of freezing weather ...

Chickadee nest in a bluebird house photo along with a picture of a chickadee and a bluebird

Chickadee Nest in Your Bluebird House –Take These Steps Immediately

You go to check your bluebird nest box, and instead of seeing nicely cupped straw or pine needles, you see ...

Chickadee Housing

Learn about what chickadee houses to buy, how chickadees behave in their houses, the distance to set chickadee nest boxes apart and more. In this section, we will continue compiling resources dedicated to chickadee nest boxes/housing.

identifying chickadee nests - picture of a completed chickadee nest inside a nest box

What Chickadee Nests Look Like – Detailed Resource – Photos, Tables, Charts & More

Chickadee nests are located in nest boxes and tree holes, and are consistently made of green moss with mixed in ...

Do chickadees use bluebird houses - pictured is a chickadee on a branch with its beak open

Will Chickadees Use Bluebird Houses? The Comprehensive Guide

Chickadees are cavity nesting birds, meaning they will nest in tree holes, and bird houses (nest boxes), and that means ...

chickadees use nest boxes and here is how to protect them

Chickadees Do Use Nest Boxes (birdhouse): Complete Nest Info and Protection Guide

All chickadee species in the United States are cavity nesters, which means they’ll nest in tree holes and nest boxes ...

Carolina chickadee perched on a pole just above a birdhouse preparing to feed young nestlings a bug.

How Far Apart to Put Chickadee Houses – For 5 chickadee species

Space black-capped chickadee houses 650 feet apart, boreal chickadee houses 730 feet apart, Carolina chickadee houses 30 feet apart, chestnut-backed ...

Chickadee nest in a bluebird house photo along with a picture of a chickadee and a bluebird

Chickadee Nest in Your Bluebird House –Take These Steps Immediately

You go to check your bluebird nest box, and instead of seeing nicely cupped straw or pine needles, you see ...

Bluebirds on a bluebird nest box bluebird house

Side Opening vs. Top Opening Nest Boxes?

Side Opening vs. Top Opening Bird Nest Boxes If you're shopping for bluebird nest boxes or chickadee houses, you might ...

Chickadee Predator Protection

Protecting chickadees from threats is very important. This section has our library of guides dedicated to protection from predators. Learn about what kinds of predators threaten chickadees and what the best means of protection are.

house sparrow - are house sparrows and starlings predators of bluebirds or invasive competitors?

Are House Sparrows and Starlings Predators of Bluebirds? What Ecology and Science Says

House sparrows and European starlings are often misclassified as predators of bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds. However, they are ...

Chickadee predators and how to protect them from cats, hawks, blue jays, squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, raccoons and other predators

9 Chickadee Predators and How to Protect Them

Chickadee predators include raccoons, cats, squirrels, rat snakes, birds of prey, chipmunks, squirrels and more. Additionally, larger birds such as ...

Noel Guard Overview - what is a noel guard and everything you need to know about them

What is a Noel Guard: The Ultimate Guide Plus Plans

Noel guards are wire mesh predator guards that fit around a nest box entrance. They protect bluebirds, tree swallows and ...

DIY Temporary Chickadee hole reducer hole guard 1 1/8-inch hole reducer guide - this tutorial uses plastic butter or sour cream tub lids and a template from this article to make a very temporary hole reducer for chickadees that can buy you time until your metal hole guard comes in.

Easy Guide To Make a Temporary Chickadee Hole Reducer / Guard To Buy You Time

You've noticed chickadees nesting in your nest box, but oh no! You don't have a hole reducer / hole guard ...

Best baffle for a bluebird house is a stovepipe baffle featured in this picture with 8"x24" dimensions

Best Baffle System for Your Birdhouse: Stovepipe Baffles

There are a lot of different baffles available for your birdhouse, and it can be challenging deciding on the best ...

Managing Chickadees and Native Competition Species

Chickadees face a lot of threats, not just from predators but also from competing cavity nesting birds. This section talks strictly about the different cavity birds that compete with chickadees, and how sometimes chickadees come into competition with others.

Our goal is peace while not overcontroling nature. We can do our best to protect each bird and their active nest, and after that, it’s up to nature. Sometimes things go wrong, but it is important not to hate birds for doing what is in their nature nor to take your anger out on them.

chickadee on feeder - do chickadees invade active nests

Do Chickadees Invade Active Bluebird Nests and Harm Eggs?

Very rarely will chickadees invade active bluebird nests, peck the eggs and take the nest over. However, this extremely rare ...

Chickadees will accept a wren guard

Most Chickadees Will Accept A Wren Guard: Tips, How-To and Pictures

While chickadees are more skittish compared to bluebirds, most chickadees will accept a wren guard. However, every chickadee is different, ...

how to keep peace between bluebirds and house wrens - image of a bluebird and house wren facing off as if in the wild west an analogy of what it is like to be a native bird conservationist

8 Ultimate Tips for Keeping Peace Between Bluebirds and House Wrens This Nesting Season

If you're managing a bluebird nest box, chickadee nest box or other native cavity bird and have seen a house ...

Diagram of how to set up a wren guard, it's very important to cover the nest box hole and also give the birds space. Wren guards protect against house wren attacks.

Wren Guards Prevent House Wren Attacks in Your Nest Boxes

One of the most devastating things is looking inside your nest box and discovering the eggs your bluebird or chickadee ...

DIY Temporary Chickadee hole reducer hole guard 1 1/8-inch hole reducer guide - this tutorial uses plastic butter or sour cream tub lids and a template from this article to make a very temporary hole reducer for chickadees that can buy you time until your metal hole guard comes in.

Easy Guide To Make a Temporary Chickadee Hole Reducer / Guard To Buy You Time

You've noticed chickadees nesting in your nest box, but oh no! You don't have a hole reducer / hole guard ...

Managing Chickadees and Invasive Species (House Sparrows and Starlings)

House sparrows and European starlings have taken a toll on native birds. These invasive species not only kill native cavity nesting birds like chickadees, but have been known to kill robins in their nest. This section is all about helping chickadees when it comes to invasive bird species in North America.

house sparrow nests

House Sparrow Nests

House sparrow nests are usually found in nest boxes or other types of cavities and are constructed using various nesting ...

house sparrow - are house sparrows and starlings predators of bluebirds or invasive competitors?

Are House Sparrows and Starlings Predators of Bluebirds? What Ecology and Science Says

House sparrows and European starlings are often misclassified as predators of bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds. However, they are ...

Monofilament Line Kind of Deters Sparrows – Observations Included

If you’re a bluebird enthusiast, or love all native cavity nesters, you’ve probably heard advice about adding 6# monofilament line ...

diagram of how to install 6# monofilament string on your birdhouse or nest box to prevent house sparrows

Installing Monofilament On Your Birdhouse: Easy 5-steps with pictures

While investigating monofilament, you might be wondering how to put it on your nest box, how exactly does it need ...

Monitoring Chickadee Nests

Just like with bluebirds, monitoring chickadees can really help their nests succeed. Here are articles about how to monitor bird nests, and use nest cams for monitoring.

Once the blink camera is clipped to the mount, begin positioning it inside the nest box in such a way that allows you the best view. You'll want to use the live view mode of the blink app as you do this.

How to Install a Blink Camera in a Nest Box or Birdhouse

Installing a blink camera into your nest box is as easy as screwing the mount into the birdhouse and then ...

safe bird nest monitoring infographic - The best way to monitor a birdhouse or nest box is with a wireless security camera to minimize disturbance. Making a cell phone slot is a second good option. Physical monitoring is tolerated well by some cavity nesting species, and not so well by others. Follow best practices when monitoring your nest boxes.

The Best Ways To Monitor Your Birdhouse or Nest Box

Whether you want to report your nest observations to Nestwatch, or you want to keep an eye on the safety ...

Blink Outdoor installed in a birdhouse

11 Reasons: Best Nest Box Camera For My Birdhouse

Why the Blink Camera is the best nest box camera for your birdhouse You might have just set up your ...

Chickadee Lifecycle and Facts

identifying chickadee nests - picture of a completed chickadee nest inside a nest box

What Chickadee Nests Look Like – Detailed Resource – Photos, Tables, Charts & More

Chickadee nests are located in nest boxes and tree holes, and are consistently made of green moss with mixed in ...

picture of bird eggs for article about whether bird eggs will survive in freezing temperatures

Songbird Eggs May Survive Short Periods of Freezing Weather – Here is Why

There are many systems in place that ensure the survival of bird eggs survival during short snaps of freezing weather ...

Chickadee Video Library

We continue to produce videos that talk about chickadees and chickadee care. As we produce them, we will add them to our video library here.