Chestnut-backed Chickadee Range Map The Chestnut-backed Chickadee is a year-round resident from south-central and southeastern Alaska, western British Columbia, northern Idaho, western Alberta, and northwestern Montana south through the coast ranges to southern California and through the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas to central California. The Chestnut-backed Chickadee prefers low-elevation, coastal, mesic coniferous forests of pines, cedar, tamarack, and hemlock. Also inhabits along streams and in adjacent deciduous woodlands.

The breeding season begins anytime from mid-March to early April. Chestnut-backed Chickadees excavate their own nest sites, but they also nest in existing tree cavities and nest boxes. Nest sites are usually low, up to 10 feet above the ground, but rarely much higher when in dead trees. The nest is made of moss, bark, grass, ferns, and feathers, and the cup is lined with milkweed down, fur, and hair. It is not known which sex builds the nest.

The average clutch size is six to seven eggs, but the female can lay anywhere from three to nine eggs. These non-glossy eggs are white or cream in color. Sometimes the eggs are unmarked; sometimes red, reddish brown, and brown specks are distributed all over the egg or wreathed at the large end of the egg.