10 Black-capped Chickadee Calls and Sounds That Help Identify the Bird

Interested in learning more about what their calls are used for? Check out this video https://youtu.be/8QB4pxjEQF4
In this video are the calls and songs of the Black-capped Chickadee with no narration

Timestamps for Black-capped Chickadee calls and sounds
00:00 Intro
00:04 Chick-a-dee
00:27 Tseet
00:51 Fee-bee
01:13 High Zee
01:37 Gargle
02:01 Broken Dee
02:28 Faint Fee-bee
02:57 Hiss
03:23 Squawk
03:45 Begging Dee

The Chick-a-dee Call / Song
Where Chickadees got their name. Males and females use it, which can be heard all throughout the year, especially in fall and winter. There are 4 main uses, to alert to the presence of predators, to keep in contact or locate one another, to communicate about a food source, and for coordinating group movement.

Tseet Call
If you want to locate these darling birds, this is the one important call to take note of. Made Year-round by both sexes, this sound is used almost constantly. Used mainly as a way to signal the caller’s location to other members of a flock who are very nearby, also used in encounters with individuals they don’t know.

High zee Alarm
Used when they see a Raptor quickly flying by in high pursuit or is in attack mode. A really high-pitched call that can vary depending on the type of predator detected, and how dangerous the threat could be. When this call is given which is mostly by males all the other chickadees immediately stop everything they are doing and remain motionless until they hear a chickadee call letting them know all is clear. Even other species of birds understand this cal.

Fee Bee Song
It is mainly produced by males and can be heard throughout the year but more so in late winter and especially during Spring. Often the Fee bee song is referred to as the “hey sweetie” which fits perfectly since one of the reasons males sing it is to charm a female, also described as sounding like cheeseeee-burger. Used to signal aggression to other males, defend a territory, and attract and arouse females.

The Gargle Song / Call
This call is an aggressive, vocalization that lasts just half a second in total. it is complex and varies a lot. They are given by males and are associated with dominance establishment and territory defense.
The gargle vocalization is easily heard from the middle of winter into Spring and again in Fall. Gargles can also be given in a sexual context, sometimes during a male's dawn chorus performance; these Gargles are not associated with aggression but are often associated with copulation.

Broken dee Call
The broken dee can only be heard during the breeding season. It sounds similar to a baby chickadee, however, it is much different and if you hear it then you know you have yourself a female since it is only females who make it. They begin using it once the nest cavity has been completed and through early incubation.
If the male is nearby, the calls are often accompanied by Wing Quivering and usually elicit feeding by the male.

Faint Feebee Call
This call is very much like the Feebee song but is always much lower in amplitude. This call is given by both males and females during the breeding season, and usually near the nest. Often when the male arrives at the nest with food he uses this faint feebee to let his mate know he is there. The female also uses it when inside the nest to alert her nestlings to feeding time. As babies near fledging, it is used again by the male, as a way to encourage the young to leave the nest.

Hiss Alarm
This call is only heard inside the nest or other enclosed small spaces and is used typically by an incubating female when she is startled especially by an intruder trying to get inside. This is widespread among the Paridaefamily and has been given the name, Snake display. Chickadees do this in order to hopefully scare any intruders away.

Squawk Call
Another call only heard in the nest is associated with parental Provisioning by either sex. The purpose is to stimulate the nestings to open their mouths for feeding.

Begging Dee Call
Only heard during late spring and throughout summer this call is made by the adorable fledglings to obtain food from their parents as well as to let their parents know where they are. Honestly, unless they are napping there is rarely a moment when they aren't making this begging call.

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