Carolina Chickadees are my constant companion in the woods.
Chirping their familiar calls, they always seem to make an appearance along every trail I’ve hiked here in North Carolina.
Often traveling with a Titmouse entourage, these energetic little birds have adapted well to a human’s presence and are commonly found dining at feeders in suburban backyards and parks.

Carolina Chickadees feed on insects, fruits, berries, seeds, and nuts.  During the summer, their diet consists mostly of insects, while in the winter they switch to eating mostly berries and seeds.
These small birds forage by moving quickly in and out of the foliage of trees, making quick flights as they search for insects and other food items.  They’ll even try to capture insects in mid-air, by hovering as they glean insects from the mid to upper canopy.

The Carolina Chickadee is a year round resident of North Carolina U.S.
They are similar looking to their northern cousin, the Black-capped Chickadee. The main visual difference in the species is that the Carolina species lacks white coloring in their wings and tends to have a shorter tail.
Another clue is the region in where your seeing them. The Carolina Chickadee may be found throughout most of the southeastern United States, while the Black-capped Chickadee is found further north.

Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds