Massachusetts State Bird

Massachusetts State Bird

The 6th state to be admitted into statehood in the US, Massachusetts got its declaration on February 6 of 1788. The capital city of Massachusetts is none other than Boston. The nickname of the state would be something you can easily guess. After all, could it have been anything other than the Bay state, given its gorgeous beaches? What about the Massachusetts state bird though? Which species do you think it could be? Let’s find out!

What Is The State Bird Of Massachusetts?

The designation of the state bird of Massachusetts belongs to none other than the Black-capped Chickadee. The species has been in this position since 1941. Massachusetts actually shares its state bird with Maine. The Black-capped Chickadee are tiny and sociable birds. They don’t migrate so you can see Chickadees in Massachusetts throughout the year. They belong to the titmouse family. From the name alone, you can guess how tiny they are. They have a brown greyish plumage, black, scaled wings, and a black-colored upper body. Their heads have a bit of white around the mouth.

  • Black Capped Chickadee

What Makes The State Bird Of Massachusetts Unusual?

The unusual size of the head of the Black-capped Chickadee has always raised curiosity. They have such a tiny body, but their head is bigger than some birds twice their size. However, this unusual shape means the Chickadees are to be considered cute all over the world.

They are also a bird species with a large number of human encounters. They aren’t exactly scared of humans and are often curious of any area they choose as their territory. So, anything that is inhabiting their territory is usually thoroughly investigated by them.

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Black-capped Chickadee Migration

Massachusetts State Bird Facts

Let’s learn a little more about the Massachusetts state bird!

1. The Chickadees gather different food items throughout the day but they don’t eat them right away. Instead, they tuck away the food in safe hiding spots to enjoy later. For each food item, they have a different hiding spot. Oddly enough, they can remember all of them, even remembering thousands at a time.

2. The calls of Chickadees are quite complex. These are languages in their own right. Through their calls, they communicate with other flocks, informing them if they are predators. The more louder the dees are in a Chickadee call, the more danger there is nearby, according to them.

3. Every autumn, the old neurons in a Chickadee’s brain die to make space for new neurons. These neurons help them function socially and environmentally.

Final Thoughts

If you visit Massachusetts, you should see the Black-capped Chickadee at least once. It isn’t actually that hard to lure the Chickadees into a backyard. What’s hard is making sure they stay there long enough for you to click a picture. Since they eat their food later, they would probably collect the food offered to them from your backyard and just fly away before you can see them properly. On the other hand, you might unexpectedly find them hiding food in your backyard!

Ornithology

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