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Photo by Jim Parrish
Photo Copyright Jim Parrish
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5
State (S-rank): S5
External links
General information
The ruby-crowned kinglet, Regulus calendula, is a very small, plump songbird that breeds in Alaska, Canada, and the high mountain spruce-fir forests of the western United States. Some individuals remain in parts of the western United States year-round, but most migrate south to the southern United States, the west coast of the United States, and Mexico for winter. The ruby-crowned kinglet is a common year-round resident in the coniferous forests of Utah, although some individuals migrate south and some move to lower elevation parks and woodlands during the winter. Many migrating individuals can be found in Utah's Virgin River Valley during the winter.
The diet of the ruby-crowned kinglet consists of insects, spiders, fruits, and seeds. Monogamous pairs form soon after the females reach the breeding grounds in the spring. The females then begin building elongated hanging nests that are secluded near the tops of trees. A variety of materials are used to construct the outer part of the nests, including: moss, feathers, bark, grasses, and spiders webs. The inside of the nests are lined with soft, fine material. A female typically incubates five to twelve eggs, a surprisingly large clutch size for such a small bird. During the two week incubation period, the male will sometimes bring food to the female. The young are born naked and blind, and both parents bring food to the nest. The young leave the nest about sixteen days after hatching, and receive parental care for at least another ten days.
Species range
BREEDING: Labrador east through Quebec, northern Manitoba, and northwestern Canada to Alaska, south to northern New England, northern Great Lakes region, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Mexico, Arizona, southern California. NON-BREEDING: Pacific states, British Columbia, and southern U.S. south through Mexico to Guatemala, also western Cuba and Bahamas.
Migration
Migrates to lower latitudes or elevations for winter.
Habitat
Nests in coniferous forests and woodlands. In migration and winter it also inhabits deciduous woodlands, shrubs and thickets and may be found in old fields, gardens, yards and parks. BREEDING: Nests in coniferous trees (usually spruce), 1-30 m above ground. Nest usually hangs from stem or twig fork, occasionally it saddles a branch.
Food habits
Primarily insects and other small invertebrates (e.g., wasps, ants, beetles, moths, spiders and pseudoscorpions). Eats some berries and seeds; drinks sap. Forages at branch tips in trees and often in shrubs; may hover while foraging; captures aerial prey and plucks insects from coniferous or deciduous foliage (Keast and Saunders 1991).
Ecology
Population declines occur after exceptionally cold winters. Seen in scattered groups in association with golden-crownd kinglets, nuthatches, chickadees, etc.
Reproductive characteristics
Clutch size 5-11 (usually 7-8). Incubation about 12 days, by female (Terres 1980). Altricial, downy nestlings tended by both parents. Young first fly at about 12 days.
References
- Behle, W. H., Sorensen, E. D. and C. M. White. 1985. Utah birds: a revised checklist. Utah Museum of Natural History, Occasional Publication No. 4. Salt Lake City, UT.
- Peterson, R. T. 1966. A field guide to western birds, second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA.
- Ingold, J. L., and G. E. Wallace. 1994. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula). Birds of North America 199.
