Carolina chickadee Poecile carolinensis

This tiny, plump-bodied, big-headed bird is a familiar woodland resident and backyard visitor in the southeastern U.S. The only chickadee in almost all of its range. Gray overall with 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 Black-capped Chickadee, but range barely overlaps. Especially note voice, duller gray wings, and less buffy coloration on flanks of Carolina. Beware that hybrids occur frequently in the overlap zone and some are best left unidentified.