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. 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
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Vanellus melanopterus
Large, long-legged, upland shorebird with a brown back, a white belly, and a dark gray hood. Found in grassland and cultivation; only at high elevations over much of its range. Social; often found in flocks. Call is a high-pitched “chit-chit-chit” followed by a lower “chrrrey.” Very similar to Senegal Lapwing, but slightly larger and shorter-legged, with more white on the forehead, redder legs, and more black on the breast. Easily separated in flight, when Black-winged shows a white bar across the middle of the wing.
Rufous-winged Tanager
Tangara lavinia
Mostly green tanager, male deeper emerald with yellow back, mostly rufous head, and rufous wings. Female duller yellow-greenish but still with obvious rufous wings. Most similar to Bay-headed Tanager, but that species always has green wings. Usually seen in the canopy of forests and edges, often in pairs accompanying a mixed-species flock.
Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus
Iconic small green and yellow parrot found extensively across inland Australia. Largely nomadic, according to food and water availability. Usually found in small flocks zipping around overhead, but can congregate in staggering numbers under the right conditions. All native birds in Australia are green and yellow with a beautiful scalloped pattern on the upperparts and fine barring on the head. Small introduced populations and escaped birds scattered across the globe can include various other color forms such as blue and white.
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