Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
Poecile rufescens
Chestnut-Backed Chickadees are delightful birds to observe. The one in the upper-left photo was in my neighborhood of north Berkeley, taken August 20, 2014. While there are no other chickadee species in this neighborhood, its chestnut-colored back distinguishes it from the others where ranges overlap (Mountain, Black-Capped and Boreal Chickadees). They appear playful or acrobatic to us, as in the right photo of one hanging upside down, taken at my home on September 20, 2014. They also seem to enjoy bathing, as in the lower left photo also taken at my home (July 19, 2015). Of course they are simply using their talents to find and obtain food, and to rid themselves of parasites and to clean their feathers. (Click on images to see enlarged versions.)