An extremely small (3 ½ inches) songbird, the male Golden-crowned Kinglet is most easily identified by its small size, olive-green body, black eye-stripe, black wings with white wing bars, and bright orange crown patch surrounded by a black ring. Female Golden-crowned Kinglets are similar, but have a yellow crown instead. Both sexes may be separated from the related Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) by that species’ larger size, darker face, and white eye-ring. The Golden-crowned Kinglet breeds across southern Alaska, Canada, and the northern tier of the United States, extending south at higher elevations in the west as far as southern Arizona. In winter, most populations migrate south to the U.S. and northern Mexico, although some populations breeding in the mountain west and the northeastern U.S. migrate little if at all. Isolated non-migratory populations occur in central Mexico and Guatemala. Golden-crowned Kinglets breed primarily in northern and high-mountain evergreen forests. In winter, this species may be found in a variety of evergreen, deciduous, and mixed forests. Golden-crowned Kinglets primarily eat small insects and spiders, but will also eat fruit and seeds during the winter or when invertebrates are not available. In appropriate habitat, Golden-crowned Kinglets may be observed flitting through the forest canopy while plucking small invertebrates from leaves or evergreen needles. Birdwatchers may also listen for this species’ song, composed of several high-pitched “chip” notes ending in a lower-pitched whinny. Golden-crowned Kinglets are primarily active during the day.
An extremely small (3 ½ inches) songbird, the male Golden-crowned Kinglet is most easily identified by its small size, olive-green body, black eye-stripe, black wings with white wing bars, and bright orange crown patch surrounded by a black ring. Female Golden-crowned Kinglets are similar, but have a yellow crown instead. Both sexes may be separated from the related Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) by that species’ larger size, darker face, and white eye-ring. The Golden-crowned Kinglet breeds across southern Alaska, Canada, and the northern tier of the United States, extending south at higher elevations in the west as far as southern Arizona. In winter, most populations migrate south to the U.S. and northern Mexico, although some populations breeding in the mountain west and the northeastern U.S. migrate little if at all. Isolated non-migratory populations occur in central Mexico and Guatemala. Golden-crowned Kinglets breed primarily in northern and high-mountain evergreen forests. In winter, this species may be found in a variety of evergreen, deciduous, and mixed forests. Golden-crowned Kinglets primarily eat small insects and spiders, but will also eat fruit and seeds during the winter or when invertebrates are not available. In appropriate habitat, Golden-crowned Kinglets may be observed flitting through the forest canopy while plucking small invertebrates from leaves or evergreen needles. Birdwatchers may also listen for this species’ song, composed of several high-pitched “chip” notes ending in a lower-pitched whinny. Golden-crowned Kinglets are primarily active during the day.
The golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa) is a very small songbird in the family Regulidae that lives throughout much of North America.
Adults are olive-gray on the upperparts with white underparts, with thin bills and short tails. They have white wing bars, a black stripe through the eyes and a yellow crown surrounded by black. The adult male has an orange patch in the middle of the yellow crown. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with a browner back and without the yellow crown.[2] This is one of the smallest passerines in North America. Its length, at 8 to 11 cm (3.1 to 4.3 in), is probably the shortest of any American passerine. However, its weight, which averages around 5.9 g (0.21 oz), with a range of 4 to 7.8 g (0.14 to 0.28 oz),[3] is marginally more on average than the American bushtit[4] and black-tailed gnatcatcher.[5] The golden-crowned kinglet has a wingspan of 5.5-7.1 in (14-18 cm).[6]
The golden-crowned kinglet forages actively in trees or shrubs, mainly eating insects, insect eggs and spiders. It produces a series of high-pitched calls on a single note, and tends not to fear human approach. Its nest is a well-concealed hanging cup suspended from a conifer branch.
The golden-crowned kinglet is a widespread migratory bird throughout North America. Its breeding habitat is coniferous forests across Canada, the northeastern and western United States, Mexico and Central America. It migrates to the United States in the non-breeding season. Some birds are permanent residents in coastal regions and in the southern parts of their range. Northern birds remain further north in winter than the ruby-crowned kinglet.
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The kinglets are a small group of birds sometimes included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status,[7] especially as recent research showed that, despite superficial similarities, the crests are taxonomically remote from the warblers.[8][9] The names of the family, Regulidae, and its only genus, Regulus, are derived from the Latin regulus, a diminutive of rex, "a king",[10] and refer to the characteristic orange or yellow crests of adult kinglets.
There are three migratory subspecies in the United States and Canada, differing in size, bill length, back and rump colours, wing bar width and colour, and length of supercilium:[11]
The subspecies "amoenus" has been synonymised with apache, as the distinctions between these populations are obscured by individual variation.[11]
Two other (non-migratory) subspecies occur south of the bird's core range, although these are weakly differentiated from each other and so are perhaps best synonymised:[12]
Hybridization with ruby-crowned kinglets has been reported to have possibly occurred.[11]
The golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa) is a very small songbird in the family Regulidae that lives throughout much of North America.
