Golden-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Regulus satrapa
Regulidae

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4.0 inches long. The Golden-crowned Kinglet is a very small bird with a thin bill. The upperparts are grayish-olive and the underparts are whitish. On the top of the head shows a yellow crown bordered by black. The male has an orange patch in the center of the yellow crown. The orange is difficult to see at times except when the bird raises the crown feathers when it is agitated. There is a black eyeline and whisker and a white eyebrow on the face. The wings have two strong white wing bars. The tail and flight feathers have yellow edges.

 

The Golden-crowned Kinglet is an uncommon migrant and occasional winter visitor in the area. It may appear by late September and is last seen by late April.

 

The Golden-crowned Kinglet is an active bird that very often will flick it wings. In winter it joins mixed-species flocks. Its feeding style is acrobatic often hanging upside-down. It tends to winter further north than its cousin the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. The call is a series of very high notes “zee, zee, zee”.

 

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