Habitat
They can be found in a wide range of habitats, some of which include deciduous and mixed forests, open woods, parks, willow thickets, cottonwood groves, and disturbed areas. For nests they can use nest boxes, small cavities, or holes left by Downy Woodpecker. With nest boxes they prefer ones with wood shavings or sawdust. They often use alder or birch trees and use rotten branches or dead snags as their nesting site. They use moss or other coarse material as a foundation for the nest, and then they line it with softer material such as rabbit fur.
During winter half of their food diet comes from seeds, fruit, and other plant material. The other half comes from animals such as insects, spiders, suet, fat and meat from dead frozen animals. During spring, summer, and fall pretty much all of their food diet comes from insects, spiders, and other animals. If they eat out of feeders they prefer sunflower seeds, peanuts, suet, peanut butter, and mealworms.