From the Archives: Feathered Friday - the mountain chickadee

by Rachel and Andy Ames

Brrrrr! It has been a cold week here in the Estes Valley. Do you ever wonder how our feathered friends stay warm in these conditions? Our year round residents are well adapted to harsh winter conditions. Take the Mountain Chickadee, for example. At night it lowers its metabolism and body temperature to save energy and roosts in tiny tree cavities for protection from the elements. Additionally, it puts on a down jacket for the winter. In the summer, Mountain Chickadees sport approximately 1,100 feathers while in the winter that number increases to to over 2,500, with most of that increase the tiny down under layer. When it gets really cold they are able to fluff up those feathers to reduce heat loss by another 30%. So the next time it gets cold, follow the example of the Mountain Chickadee - turn down the thermostat and put on an extra down jacket.

Mountain Chickadee

Mountain Chickadees process and eat seeds by holding them between their feet. They cache seeds from Lodgepole and Ponderosa pine trees as well as Blue Spruce.

Mountain Chickadee. In general, males are slightly larger than females.

Mountain Chickadee.

Mountain Chickadees sun themselves in the morning to warm up after cold winter nights.