The Boreal Chickadee is a common and widespread species throughout Canada's boreal forest. The Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey provide coverage mainly for the southern portion of the species' range. Results suggest little overall change in that portion of the population since about 1970. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The Boreal Chickadee may be an important indicator species of the health and stability of the boreal forest. Exploitation of coniferous forests poses a threat to this species, although it may be less vulnerable than once thought because it is not completely restricted to mature forest during the breeding season (Boreal Songbird Initiative). Further, its affinity for forests of poor soils may afford it some relief from forestry operations in some areas (Ficken et al. 1996). In contrast, researchers increasingly hypothesize that mature forest habitat may be essential for winter survival of local populations (Boreal Songbird Initiative, Hadley and Desrochers 2008), thus pointing toward important conservation goals of preserving adequate wintering habitat.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.