Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016

Chickadee: Black-Capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee
The Profiles

Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Constantly active, chickadees are good birds to have around a garden because they like to feed on pests, including caterpillars and budworms. Sometimes chickadees flock with downy woodpeckers, titmice, and nuthatches. On very cold winter nights, these birds go into torpor with depressed body functions, which helps them survive in low temperatures. Black-capped and Carolina chickadees hybridize in areas where their ranges overlap. As a result, their offspring can sing the songs of both species.

This bird’s common name comes from its song, which sounds like “chick-a-dee-dee-dee.” In their complex communication, the more “dees” that are sung indicate a heightened level of threat. They also use a song similar to the eastern phoebe’s (Sayornis phoebe), which is a drawn out “fee-bee” with a drop in pitch at the end. Two or more counter-singing together can sound like a game of Marco Polo.

In a star legend of the northeastern Micmac tribe, the chickadee is one of three birds (along with robin and moosebird) that hunt a big bear represented by the constellation Ursa Major. Of the seven stars in the Big Dipper, chickadee is represented by the middle star in the handle. Author and shamanic practitioner Ted Andrews associated this bird with the number seven because there are seven species of chickadees.

Magical Workings

Although usually associated with spring, the chickadee is a tough little character that can handle fierce winter weather. Perhaps it’s an attitude of cheerfulness that keeps it in balance: something we can call on when we need a lift. Also, chickadee understands moods and can be called upon for help in dealing with attitudes, as it knows how to use them. It is also an asset in overcoming fear.

Whether we are learning a divination or psychic skill or determining our chosen paths, chickadee is a bird of the mind and can aid us when seeking knowledge. Because of torpor, it is familiar with altered states and supports practices such as shamanic journeying and astral travel. Chickadee is instrumental in awakening inner wisdom especially when we need to get to the core truth in a situation or with ourselves. This bird reminds us to speak the truth.

When you need to take action, count on chickadee to energize the situation and back you up. Because chickadee is a good communicator and able to speak the language of other birds, call on it when compassion, diplomacy, or eloquence are needed. Because of this, chickadee is also helpful when creating rituals.

Make Connection

Because chickadee is associated with the number seven and fairies, draw the seven-pointed fairy star (also called the witches’ star) on a picture of the bird. Alternatively, carve the star into a candle along with the name chickadee. As you light the candle, say three times: “Tiny bird, Chickadee; I call on you to befriend me.” When it is ready to contact you, you may hear a slight rustle of wings or a faint “chicka-dee-dee-dee.”

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Ursa Major constellation is visible year round. Go outside on a starry night and locate the Big Dipper. Look for the middle star at the bend in the handle and visualize it as a little chickadee and ask for its blessing.

Figure 2.1: The seven-pointed fairy star can be used to represent chickadee.

Associations

Element(s): Air, earth

Magical beings: Fairies

Trees: Alder, birch, pine

Shrubs: Bayberry, winterberry

Bird Identification

Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Size: 4½ to 6 inches

Wingspan: 6 to 8 inches

Comparative size: Sparrow

Description: Round body; short bill; long, narrow tail; black cap and bib; cap extends below the eyes; white cheeks; gray back; buff flanks and white underparts; gray wings edged with white

Range: From Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland; south through the Mid-Atlantic states, the Appalachians, and Smoky Mountains; across the plains states and up to Oregon and Washington

Habitat: Forests, thickets, swampy areas, wooded areas in cities, and backyards

Eggs: White with tiny reddish-brown speckles

Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

Size: 4 to 5 inches

Wingspan: 6 to 8 inches

Comparative size: Sparrow

Description: Resembles the black-capped chickadee; black cap and bib; gray wings and back; whitish underparts; short neck; large head

Range: Southeastern Kansas to New Jersey, south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Texas

Habitat: Deciduous woodlands, riparian areas, suburban and urban areas

Eggs: White with light brown speckling

Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli)

Size: 4 to 5½ inches

Wingspan: 6 to 8 inches

Comparative size: Sparrow

Description: Large head; small bill; long, narrow tail; rounded wings; black and white coloring on head; gray elsewhere; pale underparts; white stripe over eyes

Range: British Columbia and south through the Rocky and Cascade-Sierra Mountains to Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of California

Habitat: Evergreen, mountainous forests

Eggs: White, sometimes with reddish speckling

Collective noun(s): A banditry or a dissimulation of chickadees