
Tiny, with predominantly drab plumage; barely larger than a hummingbird; gray and olive overall. Face pattern is distinctive: white supercilium and throat, dark eye and eyeline, short black bill, and yellow-orange to yellow crown with thick black border. Male has golden-orange crown, while females and juveniles have bright yellow crowns. Dark wings have a single white wingbar and greenish-edged flight feathers. Legs are black with yellow feet. Ruby-crowned Kinglet has two wingbars and an unpatterned olive-green face that lacks crown stripes.
Length: 10 (cm) Wingspan: 18 (cm)
Voice:
Extremely high-pitched, tinkling sounds; song is a rising series of high-pitched whistles followed by quick descending chatter. Calls similar to Brown Creeper, but shorter, less evenly spaced, and softer.
Habitat:
Coniferous woodlands. During migration, may be found in a variety of forest types.
Behavior:
Often forages high in canopy, inside dense coniferous foliage, and high-pitched vocalizations are difficult to pinpoint. Very active and flitty. Routinely hangs upside-down or hovers at the end of a branch. Nest is a deep, well-camouflaged hanging cup, woven of moss, lichens, and other soft materials. In winter, joins mixed flocks with chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, vireos, and other passerines.
Feeding:
Forages acrobatically, gleaning foliage for small insects, insect eggs and larvae, and arthropods.
Field Notes
The end of the song is somewhat similar to the chatter of Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Including the rising high-pitched notes, the kinglet seems to say, "I...am...not...a...CHESTnut-backed CHICK-a-dee."
Citation: Personal Experience. I observe this regularly, highly confident.

We have a pair regularly visiting our suet feeders here in North Yarmouth, Maine Appears they are starting to yellow-up a bit more now that it's warmer
Citation: Personal Experience. I observe this regularly, highly confident.
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits | Contribute Content |
Migration Status | Contribute Content |
Conservation Status | Contribute Content |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status | Contribute Content |
Adult Male Description | Contribute Content |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Wingspan | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Weight | Contribute Content |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
Local Knowledge | Contribute Content |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
---|---|---|
04/25/17 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
04/18/17 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
04/04/17 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/27/16 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/06/16 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/25/16 | Dave Irons, OR | # |
05/31/16 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
09/29/15 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
11/10/14 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
01/06/15 | Marlowe Kissinger, OR | 1 |
01/10/15 | Dave Irons, OR | 7 |
11/26/14 | Bob Archer | # |
11/15/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 2 |
11/15/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 1 |
11/15/14 | Bob Archer | # |
Recent Activity
Activity | Date & Time |
---|---|
Steven Mauvais added Golden-crowned Kinglet to their Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge smart list | 9/29/2015 at 1:52PM |
Bob Archer added Golden-crowned Kinglet to their Vista Ridge Trail to Timberline Trail smart list | 7/21/2014 at 7:08AM |
Bob Archer added Golden-crowned Kinglet to their Timberline Trail (From #626 to Elk Cove) smart list | 7/21/2014 at 7:08AM |
Bob Archer added Golden-crowned Kinglet to their School Canyon Trail smart list | 5/10/2014 at 10:06PM |
Barbara Devlin added a note to Golden-crowned Kinglet Notes | 4/08/2013 at 11:53AM |
David Fix added a note to Golden-crowned Kinglet Notes | 7/04/2011 at 5:19PM |
Dave Irons added Golden-crowned Kinglet to their Larch Mountain, Clark County, Washington smart list | 7/03/2011 at 8:32PM |