According to BirdWeb (Birdweb, 2005), Poecile rufescens favors “dense, moist, coniferous forests.” Although this picture was taken in a similar environment near Snoqualmie Falls, a study by Artman (2003) suggests that P. rufescens prefers a thinned habitat to those left untouched by commercial forest management.

A possible explanation of this may be increased food availability in thinned habitats due to increased ground vegetation and thus a higher density of seeds and berries.

References
Artman, V. (2003). Effects of Commercial Thinning on Breeding Bird Populations in Western Hemlock Forests. American Midland Naturalist, 149, 225-232.

BirdWeb. (2005). Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Retrieved January 13, 2008 from http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird_details.aspx?id=330.