This little Chickadee lives in a grove of spruce trees in one of the local parks. Its neighbours include Ruffed Grouse, Great Horned Owls, Gray Jays and a Pileated Woodpecker to name but a few. The highest this photo got in Explore was #225 on 18th January 2007.
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada nature outdoors birds ornithology Black-capped Chickadee AnimalKingdomElite FeatheryFriday Explore i500 interestingness#225 explore2007Jan18 Poecile atricapillus IMG_1004660 Canon S3 IS annkelliott Talkaboutwildlife.ca
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This is a favourite little bird in Alberta and it is found at garden birdfeeders as well as in woodlands. This one was down in one of my local parks. It is a very humbling experience to have them fly down to one's outstretched hand. They are such a welcome sight during the long winter months when there are far fewer things to see.
Tags: Alberta Canada bird nature wildlife Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus Poecile atricapilla annkelliott Fish Creek Provincial Park FCPP Votier's Flats Fauna & Flora of FCPP Talkaboutwildlife.ca
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Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada nature wildlife bird Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus ornithology
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Quite a dainty picture of the popular little Black-capped Chickadee. Scientists at Lehigh University have found that "seasonal neuronal growth in adult chickadees results in a 30% increase in brain size each fall! The researchers hypothesize that the chickadee's brain swell may be related to the storing of complex spatial information. Each chickadee caches seeds in small pockets over a wide area, and these seed reserves provide the bird's nourishment throughout the winter. Perhaps what is more surprising is that the bird's brain shrinks again in the spring." Wish my brain had that capability, too, then I'd only lose things in the summer time!
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada nature wildlife bird Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus Poecile atricapilla PC090228 Olympus C750UZ annkelliott Fish Creek Park Votier's Flats Fauna & Flora of FCPP
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The Black-capped Chickadee is the most common bird to fly down to one's hand (my daughter's in this photo) here in Calgary. I have only had these, plus Boreal Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches on my hand but will hope for a White-breasted Nuthatch and maybe even a Downy Woodpecker this winter. Thanks everyone!
Tags: Calgary Alberta Canada wildlife birds Black-capped Chickadee Explore BestNature TNC06 ABigFave interestingness#86 Explore2006 Sept 30
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