GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET – (Regulus satrapa) – (See images below)
DESCRIPTION: The Golden-crowned Kinglet male has an orange patch in the middle of a golden yellow crown, which is surrounded by a black band. There’s also a small black band across the eye. The upper parts in the adults are olive green with some grey, and the under parts are light grey. The bill is small and black. Sexes are otherwise similar. There is a thin white wing band. At around 10 cm (4 inches) long, this bird is one of the smallest passerines in North America. There are a few subspecies.
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Regulus-satrapa
NAME: The Latin genus name ‘Regulus’ means ‘little prince’, and the Latin species name ‘satrapa’ refers to a king surrogate or governor in ancient times. This is in addition to the English ‘Golden’ and ‘Kinglet’. With such a ‘royal’ name this bird more than makes up for its tiny size.
HABITAT: Coniferous forest for the most part.
DIET: Insects high in the trees, also seeds in the winter.
NESTING: In spite of the short nesting season, this bird is able to raise two broods, with the male feeding the fledglings of the first while the female incubates the second. The nest is built near the top of a conifer. Between three and ten creamy eggs are laid, incubated by the female. Both parents feed the chicks.
DISTRIBUTION: Breeding range covers Canadian forests except along the British Columbia coast, south of the St. Lawrence river and the Atlantic provinces, where it is a year-round resident. Year-round resident in the northeast USA and parts of the western USA, especially along the coast there. Wintering populations occupy most of the remainder USA (except Florida).
DISTRIBUTION MAP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-crowned_kinglet#/media/File:Regulus_satrapa_map.svg
ON PEI: The golden-crowned kinglet breeds on Prince Edward Island and is a year-round resident.
CONSERVATION: This kinglet is widespread across Canada and the USA, would number in the 100 million range and is currently not considered at risk.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
REFERENCES: https://www.borealbirds.org/bird/golden-crowned-kinglet
https://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/toc.jsp (Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/golden-crowned-kinglet
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-crowned_Kinglet/id
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-crowned_kinglet
Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (Golden-crowned Kinglet)
DESCRIPTION: The Golden-crowned Kinglet male has an orange patch in the middle of a golden yellow crown, which is surrounded by a black band. There’s also a small black band across the eye. The upper parts in the adults are olive green with some grey, and the under parts are light grey. The bill is small and black. Sexes are otherwise similar. There is a thin white wing band. At around 10 cm (4 inches) long, this bird is one of the smallest passerines in North America. There are a few subspecies.
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Regulus-satrapa
NAME: The Latin genus name ‘Regulus’ means ‘little prince’, and the Latin species name ‘satrapa’ refers to a king surrogate or governor in ancient times. This is in addition to the English ‘Golden’ and ‘Kinglet’. With such a ‘royal’ name this bird more than makes up for its tiny size.
HABITAT: Coniferous forest for the most part.
DIET: Insects high in the trees, also seeds in the winter.
NESTING: In spite of the short nesting season, this bird is able to raise two broods, with the male feeding the fledglings of the first while the female incubates the second. The nest is built near the top of a conifer. Between three and ten creamy eggs are laid, incubated by the female. Both parents feed the chicks.
DISTRIBUTION: Breeding range covers Canadian forests except along the British Columbia coast, south of the St. Lawrence river and the Atlantic provinces, where it is a year-round resident. Year-round resident in the northeast USA and parts of the western USA, especially along the coast there. Wintering populations occupy most of the remainder USA (except Florida).
DISTRIBUTION MAP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-crowned_kinglet#/media/File:Regulus_satrapa_map.svg
ON PEI: The golden-crowned kinglet breeds on Prince Edward Island and is a year-round resident.
CONSERVATION: This kinglet is widespread across Canada and the USA, would number in the 100 million range and is currently not considered at risk.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
REFERENCES: https://www.borealbirds.org/bird/golden-crowned-kinglet
https://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/toc.jsp (Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas)
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/golden-crowned-kinglet
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-crowned_Kinglet/id
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-crowned_kinglet
Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (Golden-crowned Kinglet)
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| Golden-crowned kinglet, Roberta Palmer |
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| Golden-crowned kinglet, PEI, by Roberta Palmer |
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| Golden-crowned kinglet, Wanda Bailey |