Gray-headed Chickadee

Poecile cinctus

General Status Rank: 
Undetermined
ELCODE: 
ABPAW01050
Common Name: 
Gray-headed Chickadee
Scientific Name: 
Poecile cinctus
Synonyms: 
Poecile cincta
Siberian Tit
Naming References: 
ASC12
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Passeriformes
Family: 
Paridae
References: 
B004
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

1 year?
References: 
LWC03

Longevity

7 years?
References: 
LWC03

Economic/Human Considerations

Non-game species.
References: 
H129
Habitat
Broken coniferous or aspen woods near treeline.
References: 
B004
LWC03
Distribution

Ecozones

Southern Arctic, Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Plains
References: 
B157

Distribution

Has not been recorded from the NWT in many years.
Score: 
-
References: 
B004
H129
LWB02
Winter Distribution Description: 
Non-migratory; similar to breeding range.

Number of Occurrences

Few known (see reference LWC03). Only known historic population in the NWT is expected to be at Reindeer Station, north of Inuvik, NWT. No recent records. (see reference H228). A couple historic records from near the Mackenzie Delta in 1989 and 1990 on eBird (see reference W113).
Score: 
A
References: 
LWC03
H228
W113

Historical Distribution

Peripheral
References: 
LWC03

Area of Occupancy

Unknown
Score: 
-
References: 
LWR01
Population

Population Size

No data for NWT (has not be recorded in the NWT for many years).
Score: 
-
References: 
LWC03
LA01

Density

Unknown
Trends

Trends

Unknown. Inferred and projected decline in numbers.
References: 
LWR01
Threats

Threats

Key threats are likely climate change and severe weather, and related changes in natural processes such as freeze-thaw cycles and wildfire. These, in turn, affect the quality of habitats used for nesting, roosting, foraging, and food storage.
Score: 
B
References: 
LWC03

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Score: 
-
References: 
LWC03
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Undetermined
Status Rank Description: 
Unknown numbers and trends, but threats appear limited in NWT. Partners in Flight reports a monitoring need for this species to provide more adequate northern coverage and trend data for population assessment. Not enough data to provide a rank. The breeding range in NWT is a small part of a relatively small overall species range. Birds of North America mentions that this species has sparse populations in harsh environments and may be the most vulnerable of the chickadees to human disturbance (http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/196/articles/introduction).
S Rank: 
SU
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by L. Wakelyn and S. Carriere based primarily on printed material in 2000. Reviewed in 2005 by C. Machtans and L. Armer; no change in status. Reviewed in 2010; no change. Reviewed by E. Upham-Mills (Canadian Wildlife Service) in 2015; suggested change to undetermined, modified (error correction).
Last Updated: 
November 1, 2024
Status Designations

NWT - Assessment by Species at Risk Committee

NWT SARC Assessment: 
Not Applicable

NWT - Species at Risk Legal Status

NWT Status Rank: 
Not Applicable

Canada – Assessment by Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

COSEWIC Status: 
Endangered
Designated endangered in May 2024. This small passerine bird as a Holarctic distribution from northern Europe across Asia, and into extreme northwestern North America. Historical Canadian range included the NWT but more recently it has only been seen in the Yukon, where there have been only two observations in Canada since 2000 despite extensive surveys in 2019. Although little is known about this species in Canada, it is considered at risk due to its very small population, and an inferred and projected decline in numbers. Key threats are likely climate change and severe weather, and related changes in natural processes such as freeze-thaw cycles and wildfire. These in turn affect the quality of habitats used for nesting, roosting, foraging, and food storage.

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return

Area of Occupancy

  • Downes, C.M., E.H. Dunn and C.M Francis (2000) Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy: monitoring needs and priorities into the new millenium.. Partners in Flight - Canada A 9-15 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn) - or communicate with Erica H. Dunn, CWS in Hull, QC, at erica.dunn@ec,gc,ca - LWR01 Return

Economic Status

  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return

Ecozones

  • Hailman, J. P., and S. Haftorn. 1995. (1995) Gray-headed Chickadee (Poecile cinctus). In The Birds of North America,. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C. No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). No. 196 - B157 Return

Habitat

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return

Longevity

  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return

Naming

  • Chesser et al. (2009) Fiftieth supplement to the AOU check-list of North American birds. The Auk 126(3):705-714 - ASC12 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return
  • Amer, Lindsay (2009) CWS Review: General Species Rankings for NT - Birds E-mail to S Carriere (16/09/2009). Lindsay Armer, Ornis oikos Consulting, 950 Westmount Court, Bathurst NB, E2A 4V9; Phone (506) 545-7261; Email: linds.armer@mac.com - H228 Return
  • Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada (2015) http://ebird.org/content/canada/ - W113 Return

Population Size

Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return
,
Rich, T.D., Beardmore, C.J., Berlanga, H., Blancher, P.J., Bradstreet, M.S.W., Butcher, G.S., Demarest, D.W Dunn, E.H., Hunter, W.C., Inigo-Elias, E.E., Kennedy, J.A., Martell, A.M., Panjabi, A.O.,et al. (2004) Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan (janv-04). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithica, NY http://www.partnersinflight.org/cont_plan/default.htm - LA01 Return

Range Extent

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return
  • National Geographic Society (1999) Field Guide to the Birds of North America.. National Geographic Society Third Edition EC-CWS, Yellowknife - LWB02 Return

Short Term Trends

  • Downes, C.M., E.H. Dunn and C.M Francis (2000) Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy: monitoring needs and priorities into the new millenium.. Partners in Flight - Canada A 9-15 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn) - or communicate with Erica H. Dunn, CWS in Hull, QC, at erica.dunn@ec,gc,ca - LWR01 Return

Taxonomy

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Threats

  • Hailman, J. P. and S. Haftorn (1995) Siberian Tit. The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists' Union The Birds of North America, No. 196 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.) No. 1-24 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn), copy in database reference file - LWC03 Return