Grey-headed Chickadee

Overview

The grey-headed chickadee, also known as the Siberian tit, is a fairly large passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread resident breeder that is a conifer specialist, with most individuals being non-migratory.

Identification

• Length of 12.5–14 cm and weight of 11–14.3 g, intermediate between the willow tit and great tit.
• Dark brown head that is darkest on the throat and eyestripe, with a slightly paler crown and white cheeks.
• Cinnamon-brown mantle and blackish wing feathers with pale fringes.
• Whitish underparts with pale rusty-brown flanks.

Habitat

It is found throughout subarctic Scandinavia and the northern Palearctic, extending into North America in Alaska and the far northwest of Canada. The species is a conifer specialist and is resident, meaning most birds do not migrate.

Did you know?

The North American subspecies, P. c. lathami, may now be extinct, as there have been no sightings since 2018 despite dedicated searches.