This small active bird is about the size of a sparrow and is mostly grey with a black cap and throat, white cheeks and light grey underside. Chickadees show little fear of humans and can become tame enough to eat out of your hand. They are very curious birds and they often are the first birds to try out a new bird-feeding station in the backyard.
Chickadees live in family groups of five to nine members.
They stay together throughout the winter and then in the spring pair up and begin building nests. Both the male and female build the nest in the soft, rotting wood of trees. They may also use abandoned woodpecker holes as nesting sites. The nest is lined with materials like feathers, moss and rabbit fur. The female lays six to eight white eggs spotted with reddish brown.