Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa

Migratory Status: Short-distance migrant

PIF Population Estimate: 30 000 000

Percent of western hemisphere population breeding in boreal forest: <25%

BAM Effective Detection Radius (m) : 45.75

PIF Maximum Detection Distance (m) : 50

Canadian BBS Population trend: -0.3 n.s. (-2.0 to 1.3)

Life History

The Golden-crowned Kinglet is an arboreal songbird with a high-pitched musical song, found within remote areas of the boreal forest and alpine regions across North America. A small bird with dull olive-green upperparts and whitish underparts, it can easily be identified by its bright-yellow crown patch bordered with black. In males, the crown patch is deep orange in the middle, while in females it is entirely yellow. Two white wing bars, a notched tail, and striped face (white eyebrow) help identify this small canopy bird when the crown patch is not visible.

Favouring mature stands of spruce and fir during the breeding season, this species ranges from southern Alaska and the North West Territories east throughout most of the boreal forest to Newfoundland. South of the border, its breeding range extends into the northern United States on the east coast, and in alpine areas along the Pacific Mountain Range on the west coast. Resident populations occur in Mexico and Guatemala. The Golden-crowned Kinglet’s winter range is extensive, from the southern regions of Canada and Alaska, southward into the lower United States and Mexico.

Interestingly, female Golden-crowned Kinglets sing during the breeding season in addition to the males, a rare behaviour in female songbirds from north temperate regions. Golden-crowned Kinglets have two primary song variants: a simple song consisting of a series of ascending, high-pitched thin notes, and a complex song that consists of the simple song with a warble at the end. The simple song is presumed to function in territory defence by males. The complex song is used during nest building by males and females, though its exact role is unclear.

Reference(s)

Ingold, J. L., and R. Galati. 1997. Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa), The Birds of North America Online, . A. Poole, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/301