West · Pacific Flyway
Chickadees in California
Chickadees in California come down to 3 species with regular eBird records, led by the Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Together they account for 612,937 of the 62 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 1.0% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee and Black-capped Chickadee. Chickadees are the small, round, black-capped birds that visit feeders all winter and lead the mixed flocks of nuthatches and kinglets moving through the woods. Each region has its own species, and their ranges barely overlap.
Chickadees in California: every species, most-reported first
Every chickadee with at least 25 eBird records in the state from 2020–2024, most-reported first. The status label is derived from each species’ own monthly share of all state records.
1. Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) — 455,435 records, 0.7% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
2. Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) — 138,572 records, 0.2% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from May to October and peaking in June.
3. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) — 18,930 records, 0.03% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
When to see chickadees in California
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, chickadees are most prominent in June, July and September and least in January and February. 2 of the 3 species are year-round — Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Black-capped Chickadee — so there is no month without them.
Summer visitors. Mountain Chickadee arrives around May and is mostly gone after October (peak June).
Attracting chickadees to California backyards
Black-oil sunflower seed, suet, and a nest box with a small entrance hole are the three things chickadees want. They are among the first birds to find a new feeder and among the tamest at it.
In California the chickadee most likely to turn up is the Chestnut-backed Chickadee, a year-round resident, followed by the Black-capped Chickadee. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Chickadees in California: FAQ
How many species of chickadees are there in California?
3 species of chickadees have regular eBird records in California (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee and Black-capped Chickadee.
What is the most common chickadee in California?
The Chestnut-backed Chickadee, with 455,435 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the Mountain Chickadee with 138,572. It is a year-round resident, reported in every month.
When is the best time to see chickadees in California?
June, July and September, when the combined share of California eBird records belonging to chickadees is highest. Summer visitors such as the Mountain Chickadee arrive around May.
Are there chickadees in California?
Yes. the Chestnut-backed Chickadee (455,435 eBird records, year-round), the Mountain Chickadee (138,572 eBird records, summer visitor) and the Black-capped Chickadee (18,930 eBird records, year-round) are regularly recorded in California.
More birds in California
Chickadees in other states
Chickadees in California: sources
Every number on this page comes from the EOD – eBird Observation Dataset published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and distributed through GBIF under a CC BY 4.0 license: California records from 2020–2024, retrieved 2026-09-18. Species are drawn from the families Paridae; only species with at least 25 records are listed, and a species is called a year-round resident when its monthly share of state records stays above 30% of its own peak in ten or more months. “Records” are individual eBird observations, so they reflect how often birders report a species, not a population count.