Family:
The ruby-crowned kinglet is a tiny songbird, similar in appearance to the goldcrest, with a relatively large head, almost no neck, and a thin, straight bill. It has grey-green upperparts, olive-buff underparts, and a white wingbar that contrasts with an adjacent black wingbar.
The head is olive-green with a broken white eyering and lacks the crown stripes seen in the goldcrest. Males have a brilliant red crown patch that is usually concealed but becomes visible when the bird is agitated or excited. Females are identical in appearance, except for the crown.
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The ruby-crowned kinglet feeds primarily on small insects and spiders, but also consumes berries and tree sap. It forages actively in trees and shrubs, moving quickly through the foliage while flicking its wings almost constantly. It occasionally catches insects in mid-air too.
Ruby-crowned kinglets are found across Canada, Alaska, northern New England, and the western United States, extending as far south as California and New Mexico. They inhabit tall, dense coniferous forests, particularly those dominated by spruce and fir.
In winter, they migrate to the southern United States and Mexico, where they are found in a wider range of habitats, including deciduous forests, shrubby woodlands, fields, parks, and gardens.
