Paridae (Tits

The Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) is a year-round resident of western montane forests, ranging from the Sierra Nevada to the Cascades and Rocky Mountains. These small passerines are highly adaptable to subalpine and alpine environments, foraging actively through conifers and mixed woodlands for insects, seeds, and other food items. In Mount Rainier National Park's subalpine zone, Mountain Chickadees are common summer residents that navigate the transitional forests below the treeline, where moss-covered branches and lichen-rich trees provide both shelter and food sources. Their populations show a slight downward trend across their range, though they remain widespread and are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.