Kinglets

Kinglets "Crests"

Ruby Crowned Kinglet "Rubycrest" at Greenfield Lake Dec 2020

Kinglets or Crests are a family of small songbirds that are in the family Regulidae and are somewhat related to titmice, nuthatches, wrens, and are sometimes grouped in the Old World Warbler family. The family is named is based on the regulus which is Latin for "petty king" or "prince", which is also why Kinglet is used, Crest may refer to the brightly colored head feathers of the birds. These are amongst the smallest songbirds with both the Eurasian and North American species barely larger than 10cm (4") in length and lighter than most birds except certain hummingbirds, and the Pigmy Tyrant of Latin America. Kinglets are very energetic birds that constantly move through trees and vegetation for insects and spiders. However their hyperactive traits means they have a rapid-metabolism and must eat constantly. Worldwide, there are six species of Kinglets with all of them in Eurasia, North Africa, or North America. Our two species of Crests occur across most of the Boreal Regions of North America as well as some mountainous regions in Appalachia and the Rocky Mountains. Both species are primarily winter residents in the Carolinas.

General information about Crests can be found at this Wikipedia page

Description 

All Kinglets look externally similar and are small, compact birds with short tails, tiny beaks, and a can resemble other small woodland birds such as Vireos, Parulidae Wood Warblers, Old World Warblers, or in some cases members of the Tit family. The most widespread species of Crests include the Goldcrest, and Firecrest in Europe, and their North American counterparts the Golden Crowned Kinglet and Ruby Crowned Kinglet which occupy almost the exact same niches, and habits. Below are the descriptions of the two species that occur in North America, along with some unofficial alternate names as the standard names are lengthy. Both species are common in the Carolinas from Mid-Autumn to Spring and are a mainstay of mixed woodland flocks.

Golden Crowned Kinglet "American Goldcrest" 

Regulus satrapa 

A distant shot of a Golden Crowned Kinglet, note the black on the head Dec 2020

Description: Very small bird (smallest bird in the Carolinas), with a rounded shape, short tail, and tiny beak. Adults are olive green or greyish with a black and white head with a yellow to orange crest and white wing bars. The birds may also have gold on their wing tips and tails 

Size: Length, 7.6 to 9cm (3-3.5"), Wingspan 15.5-17cm (6.5-7") Weight around 6g. Smaller than a Chickadee 

Song: A series of rising whistles that end with a series of buzzes and jumble of notes, not unlike a scolding chickadee. Listen at Cornell Labs

Calls: The primary call of this bird is a high pitched "See seee seee" which can sound like "Look At Me" or "B B King". This call is very similar to the Treecreeper except that bird makes a singular buzz. Both calls can be difficult for people with limited hearing to detect. 

Range: The Golden Crowned Kinglet breeds along the Boreal belt from the Northern US to Canada (south of Hudson Bay, but as far north as Nova Scotia) and southernmost Alaska. It also occurs year-round in the Appalachian Corridor and the mountains of the Western US. It is a winter resident in most of the United States. 

In the Carolinas: The Golden Crowned Kinglet is primarily a winter resident across the Carolinas although it occurs year-round in the Blue Ridge Corridor and is a common breeder at higher elevations. It is common across the region from October to April. 

Habitat: Golden Crowned Kinglets primarily occupy woodlands, forests, and other landscapes with large conifers such as spruce, fir, hemlock, pine, or baldcypress. They are also common in villages, gardens, parks, and urban greenspaces with such trees. In Appalachia, kinglets breed in high-elevation forests above 1500m (~5000ft) and prefer Balsam/Frasier Fir stands. 

Breeding: In Appalachia, Goldcrest/Golden Crowned Kinglet breeds from late March to June and raises one to two broods per year. They make a hanging nest of moss and silk in a conifer and lay 3-10 eggs. 

Notes: Golden Crowned Kinglets are always found higher in trees than Ruby Crowned Kinglets thus are less likely to be seen. However, these birds may be more numerous with as many as ten gathering in one stand of trees, while Ruby Crowned Kinglets are usually solitary or in pairs. Fills the same niche as the Eurasian Goldcrest.

Learn More at Cornell All About Birds

Ruby Crowned Kinglet "Rubycrest" 

Regulus calendula 

Ruby Crowned Kinglet from our previous garden, circa 2010, notice plain head

Description: Very small bird, with a rounded shape, short tail, and tiny beak, though slightly longer-tailed than the Golden Crowned Kinglet/Goldcrest. Adults are olive color and may even appear yellowish-green and have a white wing bar and no visible markings on the head. Males show a red or orange crest when singing or displaying. They loosely resemble a White Eyed or SolitaryVireo or perhaps a Winter Wren due to their shape or coloration.

Size: Length 9-10cm (3.5-4"), Wingspan 17-18cm (7-7.5") Weight around 6.5g. Smaller than a Chickadee, approximately the size of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Song: This species has a very loud song that begins with several high-pitched whistles that transitioned into a finch-like warble or a chant. The song varies by individual and may sound like a Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, or perhaps a Mockingbird. Blue Grey Gnatcatcher has a similar song except buzzier. Listen at Cornell Labs.

Calls: The main call is a dry chatter and a buzzy "Chazzz" call that can be mistaken for a House or Winter Wren. 

Range: The "Rubycrest" breeds much farther north than the Golden-Crowned Kinglet. It is a summer resident as far north at Alaska and the Hudson Bay and as far south as New England and the Rocky Mountain Corridor. It winters primarily in the Southern US, Pacific Coast and Mexico and is transient species in most of the mid-latitudes  

In the Carolinas: The Ruby Crowned Kinglet is common winter resident in all regions of the Carolinas generally arriving from late September and persisting as late as early May. It does not breed in the Carolinas and is among the latest winter birds to vacate the region.

Habitat: Primarily found in open woodlands or copses, hedgerows, old fields, and around gardens. They are especially fond of flowerbeds, winter flowering shrubs such as Camellia, brambles (Blackberries, wild rose, smilax) and small conifers such as Juniper or Leyland Cypress. 

Notes: Found lower to the ground than the Golden-Crowned Kinglet/Goldcrest and is generally in pairs or solitary. Fills the same niche as the Common Firecrest in Eurasia.  

Learn More at Cornell All About Birds

Traits

Foraging: Kinglets are active birds that are spend their waking hours searching for tiny insects, spiders, and sometimes nectar or tree sap to keep up with their high metabolisms. The behavior of both species are very similar with the main difference being their foraging habitats and niches. "Rubycrests" are generalists that will use a wider range of habitats and vegetation types and are often within 3m (10ft) of the ground similar to the Common Firecrest in Europe. In contrast Golden Crowned Kinglets and the Eurasian Goldcrest are almost always in the tops of conifers or sometimes deciduous trees. Aside from this, both species and their Old World counterparts move rapidly through vegetation, hang from leaves, hover in midair, and dart out to catch flying insects. These birds will also sip nectar from flowers or blossoms including those of Japanese Camellia, Gardenia, or Hibiscus and may visit the wells of sapsuckers. 

Hardiness: Despite their diminutive size, and energetic traits Crests manage to breed further north than most birds and also remain in regions that seem too cold for insectivorous birds. The Golden Crowned Kinglet may remain in most mountain regions or even in the North East and North West all year, while Ruby Crowned Kinglets are more migratory but still winter in areas with cool temperatures. According to Cornell's All About Birds, the Golden Crowned Kinglet can overwinter in regions where temperatures are as cold as -40C (-40F). Although winters in the Carolinas do not get that cold, both kinglets seem to do quite well in all regions and associate with chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and other woodland birds to improve their chances of finding food or avoiding predators. Many small birds such as hummingbirds, chickadees, and wrens also have means of maintaining body heat during cold nights with kinglets being no exception. Lastly, both Kinglets seem to be common around domestic gardens, public parks, and other locations with cultivated plants, and landscaping. These areas tend to be warmer, provide hiding spots for small insects (i.e. bees, wasps, ants, and various spiders can be seen in the dead of winter in home gardens), as well as nectar sources from plants. Kinglets are so small and agile, they hardly have any predators but are limited by their need to find food, thus are amongst our shortest lived birds. 

Woodland Flocks: Kinglets are almost always found amongst mixed flocks of Woodland or Pineland Birds. These flocks are usually led by Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Brown Headed Nuthatches or Pine Warblers and may include dozens of species of birds. Golden Crowned Kinglets are often found in groups of 3-10 birds while the Rubycrest/Crowned-Kinglet are seen alone or in pairs. Both birds use the flocks for protection, to find food, and safe places to roost. 

In the Garden

Flowering plants are a magnet to kinglets, warblers, and wrens 

Kinglets frequently visit gardens and neighborhoods during the autumn, and winter months and both species seem to thrive in suburban or urban areas. The Golden Crowned Kinglet is often overlooked and are more likely to visit areas that have pines, Red Cedars/White Cedars, or Baldcypress, while the Rubycrest/Crowned-Kinglet will turn-up in just about any area with shrubs, trees, or herbaceous growth. Aside from basics like water, vegetative cover, and plant diversity to attract insects, there is nothing special you need to do to attract Kinglets. The same types of landscaping options also work for attracting Blue Grey Gnatcatchers which are the summertime counterpart of kinglets and are related to Old World Warblers. 

Landscaping: Kinglets will use shade trees, windbreaks/copses, hedges, and other plantings for foraging and shelter. Plant winter-flowering shrubs such as Japanese Camellia, Forsythia, Witchhazel, and Coral Honeysuckle (the native kind of honeysuckle) to provide flowers for insects. The kinglets will also feed on nectar from these flowers, along with Orange Crowned Warblers, and overwintering Ruby Throated and Rufous Hummingbirds. Because our winters are mild, flowerbeds with violets (including Johnny-Jump-Ups), Snapdragons, and members of the Broccoli and Cabbage Family will be welcomed by birds, cool-season bees, and butterflies. Evergreens such as Leyland Cypress, or its native counterparts like Common Juniper or Eastern Red Cedar provide cover for small birds. For Golden Crowned Kinglets, planting pines, white cedars, or baldcypress will guarantee their presence, while large oaks (namely the evergreen Live Oak), sweetgums, and sycamores are also attractive to these birds. In Appalachia, White Pine, Carolina/Eastern Hemlocks, Frasier Fir, Balsam, and Red Spruce are all good choices for breeding and nonbreeding kinglets. 

Bird Table: Kinglets are rare visitors to birdfeeders or tables although one might come to sample suet, peanut butter, lard, or sweets when it is really cold. Both species may also sip nectar or sugar water from hummingbird or oriole feeders. You might see Ruby Crowned Kinglets poking around hanging flower pots, manmade objects, or nearby shrubs when chickadees or titmice come to visit. Kinglets also do not come to traditional birdbaths as they are so tiny, instead trie using a water-globe or repurposing an oriole or hummingbird feeder as a water vessel.