This tiny, plump-bodied, big-headed bird is a familiar woodland resident and backyard visitor in the northern U.S. and Canada. Gray overall with light buffy flanks and a contrasting head pattern: black cap, white cheek, and black throat. Short, stubby bill is used for hammering open seeds. Often the core of mixed flocks of songbirds. Visits feeders. Nearly identical to Carolina Chickadee, but range barely overlaps. Especially note voice, brighter white on wings, and buffier flanks on Black-capped. Beware that hybrids occur frequently in the overlap zone and some are best left unidentified.