Eastern Phoebe vs Black-capped Chickadee
The check that settles it
The songs are confused constantly. The chickadee's 'fee-bee' is clear and whistled; the phoebe's is buzzy and rough.
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
- Size
- 14–17 cm
- Bill
- thin pointed
- Where
- yard, woodland, water
- Voice
- A rough, buzzy, two-note 'fee-bee' that says its own name — quite unlike the chickadee's clear whistled version.
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
- Size
- 12–15 cm
- Bill
- conical
- Where
- feeder, woodland, yard
- Voice
- A clear whistled 'fee-bee' on two notes, and the scolding 'chick-a-dee-dee-dee' that names it. More 'dee' notes means more alarm.
Confirming a eastern phoebe
- Dips and wags its tail downward, constantly, from a perch.
- No wing bars and no eye-ring — unusual among small flycatchers.
- An all-black bill.
- Darker head contrasting with a paler back.
Confirming a black-capped chickadee
- Black cap and black bib with clean white cheeks between them.
- Grey back, no wing bars of note, white edging on the wing feathers.
- Takes a single seed and leaves — it does not sit and feed.
- Hangs upside down from twigs habitually.