The State of Boreal Chickadees
Regionally: Steadily increasing
In our region, sizable populations of Boreal Chickadees only occur in Maine, New Hampshire, and the Adirondacks of New York. Mountain Birdwatch data suggest that Boreal Chickadee populations in the northeastern United States have likely been gradually increasing since 2010 at a mean annual rate of 3.29% (80% Bayesian credible interval [CRI] = 0.66% to 6.05%).
Globally: Slightly Declining
Because they occupy remote areas without road access, and because they tend to be quiet and secretive during the breeding season, Boreal Chickadees are not well-monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey. Keeping that in mind, the Breeding Bird Survey data suggest slight declines over the last 50 years in the Eastern U.S., and stable populations in much of Canada. Conversely, eBird trends suggest steady (and in some cases substantial) declines across the southern portion of the Boreal Chickadee breeding range.
Boreal Chickadee habitat is at risk of disappearance due to climate change. Recent climate modeling predicts that >50% of the current range of Boreal Chickadees will be lost over the next 100 years as temperatures increase. By the end of this century, it is probable that Boreal Chickadees will no longer occur in the lower 48 states.