Midwest · Mississippi Flyway
Chickadees in Michigan
Chickadees in Michigan come down to 2 species with regular eBird records, led by the Black-capped Chickadee. Together they account for 631,529 of the 20 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 3.2% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Black-capped Chickadee and Boreal 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 Michigan: 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. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) — 630,864 records, 3.2% of the state’s eBird total; a year-round resident, reported in every month.
2. Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) — 665 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in January, February and November with a peak in February.
When to see chickadees in Michigan
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, chickadees are most prominent in February, December and January and least in June and May. 1 of the 2 species is year-round — Black-capped Chickadee — so there is no month without them.
Passage migrants. Boreal Chickadee is reported mainly in January, February and November.
Attracting chickadees to Michigan 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 Michigan the chickadee most likely to turn up is the Black-capped Chickadee. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Chickadees in Michigan: FAQ
How many species of chickadees are there in Michigan?
2 species of chickadees have regular eBird records in Michigan (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Black-capped Chickadee and Boreal Chickadee.
What is the most common chickadee in Michigan?
The Black-capped Chickadee, with 630,864 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the Boreal Chickadee with 665. It is a year-round resident, reported in every month.
When is the best time to see chickadees in Michigan?
February, December and January, when the combined share of Michigan eBird records belonging to chickadees is highest.
Are there chickadees in Michigan?
Yes. the Black-capped Chickadee (630,864 eBird records, year-round) and the Boreal Chickadee (665 eBird records, migration) are regularly recorded in Michigan.
More birds in Michigan
Chickadees in other states
Chickadees in Michigan: 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: Michigan 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.