In winter, approximately 50 percent of black-capped chickadee foods are animal foods, the rest seeds and berries. Winter black-capped chickadee animal foods consist mostly of eggs of moths, plant lice, katydids, and spiders. Pine seeds are a main staple in fall, winter, and spring. Black-capped chickadees drink when water is available. A review of Christmas Bird Count data for the Pacific Northwest showed that most black-capped chickadee populations have apparently been stable during the past 40 years.
Nest boxes can increase available nest sites where natural cavities are limited.