Boreal Chickadees

[Big-Al]

A couple of days ago I saw a group of Boreals. There were at least a dozen of them. In past sightings of them I have seen two or three at the most and most of the time they are in a group of black capped. Are these birds usually loaners or small groups or have other folks seen larger groups of them?

[Pinusbanksiana]

When I see them they are in larger groups and not associated with black caps. I see them as a bigger, beefier cousin to the black cap. They have a lower raspy call similar to the black cap, and are somewhat more tame as well. One of my favorite birds to encounter.

[Big-Al]

Yes, the call is very distinctive. When I have tried to explain it to someone I will say it sounds like a black capped with a cold. I had never seen a group of them before and just wondered what others had experienced.

[JayinMN]

Something I have noticed is in the Sax-Zim area they most I have seen togeth is 4-5 and they are with black caps. The usual is one or two together down there. In Lake country I see them in larger groups of around ten not mixed with others.

[Big-Al]

This was in the general Sax-Zim country a couple miles east of CR7. In my travels in the spruce bogs I have only seen them together with black caps hearing the distinctive call mixed with the familiar black capped call and at the most 4 or 5 like you say. It was very different hearing this group of all boreals.

[Pinusbanksiana]

I see them in the northern black spruce bogs.