Did you know that a chickadee’s brain grows by about 30 percent in late summer and fall? It’s not their entire brain that grows, but the hippocampus region – the area responsible for spatial memory. This spatial memory helps chickadees remember where they store seeds, nuts and other foods which will help them survive the winter months.

I was curious to see if any other of our other bird friends experience this brain growth in the fall and found that yes, Tufted Titmice brains also grow by about 30 percent in late summer into fall. I guess this should not be surprising because both titmice and chickadees are members of the same biological family – the Paridae family.

You may notice chickadees and titmice visiting your feeders together, especially at this time of year. By foraging together these birds find and store food more efficiently. Gotta love nature!

Our friend Shawn took these wonderful chickadee photos – thanks for sharing them with us Shawn!