Several ruby-crowned kinglets have been flitting through our woodland border for the past few days. These tiny birds, with an olive-gray back, white wing bars and white eye ring, feed in the manner of warblers, snaring insects and pupae from shrubs and tree limbs. Their short tail and short, thin bill give them a chunky appearance and they are easily identified by their habit of fluttering their wings; the red crown feathers of the male, usually hidden, are primarily revealed during courtship or territorial displays. Despite their small stature, the song of this common migrant is loud and melodious.
Red-crowned kinglets summer and breed across Canada, northern New England and the mountains of the West. Their migration usually peaks in April and October, during which they are frequently seen in residential areas. Unlike their cousin, the golden-crowned kinglet, which winters throughout most of the U.S., this insectivore spends the colder months in the southern half of our country.
