The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most widespread year-round resident bird species in Canada, nesting from the northern forests to the southern suburban areas. The Breeding Bird Survey indicates that populations in Canada have shown a long-term moderate increase since 1970. At the regional level, population trends vary from long-term decreases in British Columbia to increases in the east.
The Black-capped Chickadee is thought to have benefited from clearing for agriculture, and the proliferation of bird feeders and nest boxes (Smith 1993). However, the elimination of snags and deadwood reduce nest-site availability, which may negatively affect the species in some areas (Smith 1993). Studies have shown a correlation between population declines for chickadee species that correspond to the introduction and spread of West Nile Virus in North America in 1999 (LaDeau et al. 2007), but this does not seem to have affected the population over the long-term.
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.