The ruby-crowned kinglet is a very small passerine bird found throughout North America. It is a member of the kinglet family. The bird has olive-green plumage with two white wing bars and a white eye-ring. Males have a red crown patch, which is often concealed. The sexes are identical apart from the crown, and juveniles are similar in plumage to adult females. It is one of the smallest songbirds in North America. The ruby-crowned kinglet is not closely related to other kinglets and was moved from Regulus to its own genus, Corthylio in 2021. Three subspecies are currently recognized.
Region
North and Central America
Typical Environment
Breeds widely in boreal forests of Alaska and Canada and in montane conifer forests of the western United States. During winter it moves south across the southern United States, Mexico, and into parts of Central America. Prefers coniferous and mixed woodlands but also uses riparian thickets, scrub, parks, and suburban yards in migration and winter. Often occupies dense foliage high in trees during the breeding season, descending to lower shrubs more frequently in winter.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Among North America’s smallest songbirds, ruby-crowned kinglets are frenetic foragers that constantly flick their wings. The male’s brilliant ruby crown is usually hidden and flashed during excitement or song. Their song is remarkably loud and complex for such a tiny bird, and females may lay unusually large clutches for a passerine of this size.
Temperament
active and restless
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with frequent hovering and flitting
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs during breeding; in winter often joins mixed-species flocks. Nests high in conifers; the female constructs a deep, mossy cup nest and incubates. Clutches can be large for such a small bird, and both parents feed the young.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
A surprisingly loud, high-pitched series that begins with thin tsee notes, builds into bubbly trills, and ends with emphatic, accelerating phrases. Calls include sharp, high tiks and tsees frequently given while foraging.
