black cap, chin, and throat; white face (Georgia, USA; 2009-05-12) |
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
Native Range: North America
Notes:
despite its slightly smaller size, this bird of mixed forests in the southeastern USA looks nearly identical to the Black-capped Chickadee in overall appearance and plumage; nevertheless, genetic data have shown that these two species are evolutionarily distinct and (surprisingly) are not even one another's closest living relatives.
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