Black-capped Chickadee

The "Fee-bee" phrase (often referred to as a "song") has a dual purpose: it functions as a territorial advertisement and a means to attract potential mates. In addition to males, females also employ the "fee-bee" call, particularly when they are near their nest sites. (The recording is a dual between two male chickadees...listen for the fainter call.)

Gargles are typically a sign of heightened aggression, frequently occurring alongside physical confrontations within winter flocks. However, these vocalizations can take on a different meaning in a sexual context. Occasionally, males produce gargles during their dawn chorus performances, and in this context, they are not linked to aggression. Instead, they are often associated with diverse courtship displays and copulation. (The recording is of two different types of gargle given by two different birds during a squabble.)

The Chick-a-dee call has various uses, all conveying the message "come here." It's used when a bird is separated from its mate or flock, during mobbing of a predator (often with many dee notes), as a signal of safety after a predator has left (especially by high-ranking chickadees), and when a chickadee finds a new food source like a freshly filled feeder. More dee notes are added to the call when faced with more menacing predators, and they respond more intensely to playback of such calls.

A high-intensity alarm call primarily used when a fast-approaching predator is spotted. Chickadees hearing High Zees sometimes freeze in place until they hear a Chick-a-dee  or Contact call, signaling that the danger has passed.

This soft call is emitted almost continuously by undisturbed chickadees of both sexes throughout the year. Its main purpose is likely to alert nearby individuals to the caller's location.

The Begging Dee call is exclusively emitted by young birds, typically those in the process of fledging. It's used to request food and may also serve as a way to signal their whereabouts