The noncrested American species are called chickadees; all are small birds with black or brown caps and bibs.

The familiar black-capped chickadee, about 13 cm (about 5 in) long, has the widest range, from Alaska south to Kansas and Ohio and farther south in the Rockies and Appalachians.

 In the rest of the range of the family (around the world except in South America and Australia), the common name has been abbreviated to tit.

They are regular visitors to feeders.

When the breeding season begins, pairs leave the flock and set up territories.