Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Tiny, hyperactive songbird usually found in conifer trees. Look for black stripes on the head and bold wing pattern. The namesake golden crown is usually just a small stripe, but can be flared into an expressive fiery-orange crest when agitated. Breeds in coniferous forests, usually staying high in trees. In migration and winter, often joins mixed flocks of other songbirds in a wider variety of wooded habitats. Very active; often hovers and flicks wings as it forages. Listen for extremely high-pitched call notes.
Identification
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. 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.[citation needed] Its weight, averaging 6.1 g (0.22 oz) for females and 6.3 g (0.22 oz) for males and ranging from 4.5 to 7.8 g (0.16 to 0.28 oz), is similar to the American bushtit and black-tailed gnatcatcher. The golden-crowned kinglet has a wingspan of 5.5-7.1 in (14-18 cm).
Taxonomy
The kinglets are a small group of birds sometimes included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status, especially as recent research showed that, despite superficial similarities, the crests are taxonomically remote from the warblers. The names of the family, Regulidae, and its only genus, Regulus, are derived from the Latin regulus, a diminutive of rex, "a king", and refer to the characteristic orange or yellow crests of adult kinglets.<p>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:<p>The subspecies "amoenus" has been synonymised with apache, as the distinctions between these populations are obscured by individual variation.<p>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:<p>Hybridization with ruby-crowned kinglets has been reported to have possibly occurred.
- Scientific name
- Regulus satrapa
- Authority
- Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Regulidae
- Genus
- Regulus
Range and habitat
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.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
The golden-crowned kinglet is insectivorous, foraging in trees or shrubs, where it eats insects (especially caterpillars), insect eggs and spiders. It produces a series of high-pitched calls on a single note, and tends not to fear human approach.[citation needed] Its nest is a well-concealed hanging cup suspended from a conifer branch.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Large, dark sparrow with extensive geographic variation. Larger than Song Sparrow, and generally darker with thicker streaking. Four groups of subspecies: Red (only subspecies found in eastern U.S., but breeds to Alaska), Slate-colored (Rockies), Sooty (Pacific Northwest), Thick-billed (California). Habitat varies across range, but generally breeds in forests with thick understory, often with plenty of conifers. In winter, tends to occur in dense thickets. Forages mainly on the ground in search of seeds. Visits feeders.
Brownish Twistwing
Cnipodectes subbrunneus
A medium-sized flycatcher that sticks to the understory in lowland and foothill forest from Panama to the Amazon basin of Brazil and Peru. Brown above and pale whitish-yellow below. Overall rather nondescript, but look for brighter rusty edging on the wing feathers and tail and a pale brownish eye. Regularly raises wings up while perched. Namesake twisted outer primaries are difficult to see. Most easily identified by voice, a loud, fairly low-pitched “teew!”
Fiji Woodswallow
Artamus mentalis
A thick-bodied, highly aerobatic bird, white below and dark above with a dark chin and white cheek. Often perches on wires. Bill pale bluish with a dark tip. No similar species within its range. Found in open or forest-edge habitats. Common call is a rapid metallic “wit-wit-wit.”
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