About Poecile gambeli (Ridgway, 1886)
This species, the mountain chickadee, has the scientific name Poecile gambeli (Ridgway, 1886), and is one of 55 recognized species of chickadees and tits. For adult mountain chickadees of both sexes, the plumage pattern includes a black cap that connects to a black postocular stripe, positioned behind distinct white eyebrows. Their backs and flanks are gray, while their underparts are a paler shade of gray. They have a short black bill and a black bib. Typical adult measurements are a wingspan of 7.5 inches (19 cm) and a total body length of 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm). The mountain chickadee can be told apart from other North American chickadees by the white line running through the side of its black cap; all other North American chickadee species have a solid black cap. Another distinguishing feature of the mountain chickadee compared to other chickadee species is its distinct geographic distribution, range, and habitat. Mountain chickadees are common inhabitants of mountainous regions across the western United States and Canada. Their range stretches from southern Yukon down to California, and covers the Rocky Mountain States of the United States. A small number of mountain chickadees make local altitudinal movements, moving up into the mountains in summer and down to mountain foothills in winter; this behavior is not well documented.
