Useful Hints

• The Chestnut-backed Chickadee uses lots of fur in making its nest, with fur or hair accounting for up to half the material in the hole. The adults make a layer of fur about a half-inch thick that they use to cover the eggs when they leave the nest.
• Males take the first step in choosing nest sites, approaching a possible location while the female watches. Later, the female decides on the site, enters the cavity, and accepts pieces of vegetation brought by the male.
• Chestnut-backed Chickadees prefer nest boxes oriented in an eastern to southeastern direction.