A Chestnut-backed Chickadee in a Western Hemlock.The bird perched on the branch and the evenly distributed small green needles both display balance. The dark cap and bib offset by the white cheek, the small tan cones among the green twigs, and the rich chestnut of the bird's body combine colors in nature's perfect palette. Artistically, and ecologically, these life forms belong together.
In a deciduous tree a Chestnut-backed Chickadee is still a delightful little bird and the background colors are similar, but the visual poetry of beauty and balance is not quite the same.
If you are not an avid birder you may be thinking, "The Chickadees in my neighborhood don't seem so colorful."
A Black-capped Chickadee gathering moss for its nest.
That is because the far more common Black-capped Chickadees have dull gray backs. However, both species have heads with a similar "capped" design, similar body shapes and similar behaviors. Obviously, they are both members of the same family.
However, when we consider where each species chooses to live we see a dramatic difference. One species is very widespread and flexible while the other is quite selective.
Click Here to see the range map for Black-capped Chickadees. They exist in a wide bar all across North America.
Click Here to see the range map Chestnut-backed Chickadees. They exist in two vertical stripes of western temperate forest. The longer one, parallels the Pacific Coast, and the smaller one is along a tiny portion of the rain-catching slope of the western Rocky Mountains.
The tree species with the most interesting range similarity to our Chestnut-backed Chickadees is the Western Hemlock.
Click Here to see the range map for Western Hemlocks.
It seems obvious that there is a shared history between these two species.
This relationship is reinforced when we watch Chestnut-backed Chickadees feeding on the Hemlock seeds. Their acrobatic approach is highly entertaining.
The tail can be used like an arm for stabilization.
If the tail is insufficient the whole wing can be used like a hand grasping the tree.
Given that a Chestnut-backed Chickadee weighs less than half a cup of cornflakes, it should not be surprising that their primary feathers are extremely fine. Still, I was startled to find their feathers are so thin that we can see through them.
In addition to seeds, Chestnut-backed Chickadees often feed on insects. The dry curled up leaves on deciduous trees often hide the eggs or larvae of tiny creatures.
Sometimes, flapping the wing can help the Chickadee maintain its balance or perhaps scare a smaller creature into moving and revealing its location. The photo above also displays the thumb-like alula feather, which provides more precise control, and which we discussed toward the end of the last post.
The Chickadee's muscle to mass ratio would make a rock climber envious.
Nature is a web of interlocking and interdependent lifeforms, climates and geographies. While I do not have proof, and do not expect, that Black-capped Chickadees are solely dependent Western Hemlocks, I do think their coexistence in a very similar area does indicate a mutual dependance on a nearly identical set of circumstances. I believe it is logical to assume the well-being of either one of these two species might very well indicate challenges for the other. From a scientific perspective this would be considered a hypothesis that needs to tested.
A few years ago, I saw an excellent visual presentation regarding Western Hemlock Mortality in the Arboretum. It was constructed by Faith Ong, a University Washington student. The underlying data was provided by Ray Larson and a variety of dedicated UW Botanic Gardens )(UWBG) Arborists and Senior Gardeners who have worked in the Arboretum over the years.
My most sincere Thanks to Ray Larson and UWBG Staff for this information!
The data spans the years from 2006 through 2023. It shows the location and state of each individual Western Hemlock in the Arboretum that was found to be dead or dying during that time. I divided the data into two equal periods.
Date Range: Tree Count
2006-2014 10
2015-2023 45
On average 1.1 trees per year died during the first nine years. The rate jumps to 5 trees per year in the second period, nearly a 500 percent increase. What may have caused such a dramatic change?
The annual average high temperature in Seattle increased 1.6 degrees and the annual number of days over 90 degrees doubled, from 3 to 6, during these "somewhat" similar time periods:
Date Range: Temp. Hot
2000-2009 59.5 3
2010-2019 61.1 6
per Current Results.
I am sorry to say the historical US government weather data (i.e. NOWData), which I would normally have used to provide a more precise comparison, is apparently no longer available to the public.
Luckily, I had previously saved some relevant Seattle area precipitation records.
Date Range: Average August Rainfall in Inches
2000-2009 1.10
2010-2019 0.81
During this time the August rainfall decreased by 26%, while the average number of days over 90 degrees doubled. Correlation does not prove causation, but it certainly provides a likely direction for additional investigation.
Over a much longer time frame, the population of Chestnut-backed Chickadees has declined by 56% between 1966 and 2015. This is from the Conservation section in All About Birds which references to The North American Breeding Survey (1966 to 2019). Click Here to view this source.
Obviously, these macro trends are out of our individual control. The pertinent question is, What can we do as individuals to help the Chestnut-backed Chickadees, the Western Hemlocks trees and all the other native creatures who need a healthy local ecosystem?
For example, home owners (and sometimes even renters) get to choose the types trees, bushes and ground cover we plant or retain in our yards. Replacing dead, dying or non-native flora with well-suited native vegetation is a great place to start.
Here are some thoughts about protecting Western Hemlock trees:
- Retain rain water to irrigated during dry weather - even watering deeply twice during dry months could help.
- Redirect irrigation from grass to tree. (Grass is generally not valuable to native lifeforms and often survives without water.)
- Leave the leaves, wood chips, and needles around trees to help retain moisture.
- Remove nearby water-consuming invasive plants - holly, ivy and non-native blackberries.
If you have a Western Hemlock that does not survive then Ray suggests:
- In a mostly shaded area, consider replacing it with another Western Hemlock.
- In a partly shaded area, look to an Alaska Yellow Cedar or Nootka Cypress as they are more drought tolerant and still native to Washington State.
- For a smaller tree consider Vine Maple.
- For sunnier spots, consider Quercus garryana (i.e. Oregon Oak)
Thank you, Ray!
By the way, those last two are also in the Top Ten keystone species. They are critical to providing nutritious caterpillars for young native birds in the Spring. (See the Going Native section below to learn more about keystone species.)
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Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city and black birders are welcome!
Larry
Going Native:
Each of us, who breathes the air, drinks water, and eats food should be helping to protect our environment. Local efforts are most effective and sustainable. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and the local native creatures. Even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape.
I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:
1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (When native plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.4) If you feel you must add a new plant then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants.
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Keystone native plants are an important new idea. Douglas Tallamy, in the book "Nature's Best Hope, " explains that caterpillars supply more energy to birds, particularly young birds in their nests, than any other plant eater. He also mentions that 14% of our native plants, i.e. Keystone Plants, provide food for 90% of our caterpillars. This unique subset of native plants and trees enables critical moths, butterflies, and caterpillars that in turn provide food for the great majority of birds, especially when feeding their young.
Note: Flowering plants and trees, i.e. those pollinated by bees, are also included as Keystone Plants.
This video explains the native keystone plant concept in more detail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5cXccWx030
The Top Keystone Genera in our ecoregion i.e. Plants and trees you might want in your yard:
Additional content available here:
https://wos.org/wos-wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Native-Plant-Resources-10-7-22.pdf
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In the area below, I normally display at least one photo with each post to challenge us to know our native lifeforms.
Coming soon!
Scroll down for the answers.
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The Email Challenge:
In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:
Larry, Please add me to your personal email list.
My email address is:
LDHubbell@comcast.net
Thank you!
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The Comment Challenge:
Bottom Line:
If you write a long comment, please, copy it before hitting enter. Then, if the comment function fails to record your information, you can send the comment directly to me using email.
My email address is:
LDHubbell@comcast.net
Larry
Final Photos:
We, humans, are in race against time and ignorance. Our challenge is to learn enough about the earth and the life that surround us so that we can protect the ecosystems that support all life (including us), before they are irreversibly damaged.
This is made more challenging since each of us only perceives a fraction of the complexity life and the changes happening around us. Part of taking responsibility for our impact is being aware of the local native lifeforms, the challenges they face, and how we can assist in their quest to survive.
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