Bird field guide · Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Photographing the Chestnut-backed Chickadee

How to photograph the Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (March, April, May, June, July, August and September).

11–16 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)
Photo: © Garth Harwood, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Garth Harwood via iNaturalist
11–16 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
26,439
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens400–600 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 14 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally. Small birds demand long lenses and a close approach — a blind or feeder setup helps.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)404 mm588 mm270 mm202 mm
10 m (33 ft)809 mm1,176 mm539 mm404 mm
15 m (49 ft)1,213 mm1,765 mm809 mm607 mm
20 m (66 ft)1,618 mm2,353 mm1,078 mm809 mm
30 m (98 ft)2,426 mm3,529 mm1,618 mm1,213 mm
50 m (164 ft)4,044 mm5,882 mm2,696 mm2,022 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 8% Jan Feb: 7% Feb Mar: 10% Mar Apr: 11% Apr May: 10% May Jun: 9% Jun Jul: 9% Jul Aug: 9% Aug Sep: 9% Sep Oct: 6% Oct Nov: 6% Nov Dec: 6% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: March, April, May, June, July, August and September.

About the Chestnut-backed Chickadee#

The chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens, formerly Parus rufescens) is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Very approachable at feeders — set up a natural perch near the feeder.
  • Winter flocks make them easy to find.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice#

Black-capped Chickadee Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus Tufted Titmouse Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolor Carolina Chickadee Carolina ChickadeePoecile carolinensis Mountain Chickadee Mountain ChickadeePoecile gambeli Oak TitmouseBaeolophus inornatus Black-crested TitmouseBaeolophus atricristatus

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Chestnut-backed Chickadee?

At about 14 cm long, a chestnut-backed chickadee fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 809 mm, or at 20 m with 1,618 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Chestnut-backed Chickadee?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Chestnut-backed Chickadee?

Observations in North America peak in March, April, May, June, July, August and September. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources