Ruby-crowned Kinglet
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Kinglet, Bird of Southern Winter Forests
The tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglet is one of our favorite winter residents. Being just a little bit larger than a hummingbird, you would think that this bird would be shy, but it's not. These lovely little nymphs are in perpetual motion as they travel through the forests in mixed flocks of Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Downy Woodpeckers and Brown-headed Nuthatches. The males display their ruby crown only when they are agitated.
We hope you enjoy learning a little about the second smallest bird in the U.S.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets: the Winter Fairy Bird of Louisiana
Regulus calendula
One of our favorite tiny woodland sprites is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. This fascinating little bird always seems to be in motion. It darts under leaves and flits into vines to eat poison oak berries, then flies back to search for more insects, again and again. The male has a small ruby red spot on the top of its head which is only seen when the little guy becomes irritated or during mating. Since we only host this bird during the fall and winter, we only see the spot when the bird is upset and it is also making a tiny annoyed tittering sound.
The photo above shows one using one of our "Katrina log" feeders. After Hurricane Katrina there were over 150 large, mature trees down. We cut up and removed most of them by hand because we did not want to destroy the native under story plants that were left. As a result, we have many shelf feeders (upright logs) all over the property. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
Description
• A tiny bird, just a little larger than a hummingbird.
• Color is dull, olive-green.
• Bars on the wings
• Ring around the eye.
• Short tail
• Black legs and dull orange-yellow feet
• Always in constant motion and continually flicks its wings.
• Male has red crown which is usually hidden.
• Size: 9-11 cm (4-4 in)
• Wingspan: 16-18 cm (6-7 in)
• Weight: 5-10 g (0.18-0.35 ounces)
• Sexes are similar, but the female is without the red crown.
Sounds and Songs
Listen to the songs and sounds of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
Breeding
Ruby-crowned Kinglets do not breed here in Louisiana, but in the northern United States. An interesting fact about their breeding habits is that despite its tiny size, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet lays a very large clutch of eggs. Although the eggs themselves weigh only 0.65 g (0.02 oz), an entire clutch can weigh as much as the female herself.
Reference: All About Birds
Ruby Crowned Kinglet Eggs & Babies Video
Diet
Kinglets travel through the forests in mixed groups of Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Pine Warblers and Downy Woodpeckers. In the wild they eat small berries (like poison oak) and insects. According to Martin, Zim and Nelson in American Wildlife and Plants, A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, while they are primarily insectivorous, one-tenth of Ruby-crowned Kinglets fall and winter food comes from plants. Insects eaten include: wasps, bugs, flies, beetles, plant lice and insect eggs.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets will visit shelf style bird feeders. We often see them on our "Katrina log" feeders, picking at small bits of sunflower seeds or insects. They also love our home made suet and visit our suet feeders daily during the winter. Kinglets also enjoy hummingbird feeders and will steal a sip now and then.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Bathing Video
Bookmark
Best Binoculars on Amazon
Every bird watcher needs a good pair of binoculars and if you want to really observe tiny birds like the Kinglet, binoculars are a must.
Male Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Binoculars are a Must for Birders
There are many excellent binoculars on the market. Here are a few that you can find at Amazon.
Nikon 7216 Action 8 X 40mm Binoculars
Nikon 8x40 Action Binocular - Precision aligned sh more...0 points
Nikon 7218 Action 10 X 50mm Binoculars
Nikon is a precision optical company with worldwid more...0 points
Nikon 7430 Monarch 8 X 42mm All Terrain Binoculars
One of the advantages of a full-size binocular is more...0 points
Bushnell Falcon 10x50 Wide Angle Binoculars (Black)
An exceptional go-everywhere binocular, the Falcon more...0 points
Olympus Tracker 8x25 Porro Prism Compact & Lightweight Binocular
Add a touch of style to your viewing experience wi more...0 points
Nikon 7245 Action Ex Extreme 10 X 50 mm All Terrain Binoculars
Where there's life, there's action. Are you ready more...0 points
Canon 10x30 Image Stabilization Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap & Batteries
10x30 binoculars with image stabilizer0 points
Canon SLR Camera
Many birders enjoy photographing birds and other wildlife. We use a Canon PowerShot S5IS, but here is one that's even better.
Good Cameras on Amazon
We used a Canon PowerShot S5IS for most of the photos that you see on this lens. For good photos of birds, you need a camera with at least a 12X optical image stabilized zoom.
Canon Powershot SX10IS 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Whether the action is fast or slow, close up or far more...0 points
Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)
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Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
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Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi offers an unbeatable c more...0 points
Nikon Coolpix P80 10.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom (Black)
10.1-megapixel effective recording * 18X optical z more...0 points
Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens
The lightest, most compact Nikon digital SLR ever, more...0 points
Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
18-55mm AFS DX Nikkor / Fast Start-up / Active Dus more...0 points
Pentax K200D 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
The PENTAX K200D, perfect for developing digital S more...0 points
Kinglets on eBay
Winter Birds Books and Supplies on Amazon
The cute little Ruby-crowned Kinglets will visit many different types of feeders. There are also some great guide books that will help you identify Kinglets and the other birds of winter. Any of the following would make a great gift for the bird lover on your list.
Heath Outdoor Products 2304 Single Leaf Suet Feeder
this unique leaf roof and floating leaf vine desig more...0 points
Suet Sanctuary Feeder (2 suet cakes) Bird Feeder
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Brome 1024 Squirrel Buster Plus Wild Bird Feeder with Cardinal Perch Ring
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Heritage Farms 7533 Absolute Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Feeder
Forest green absolute squirrel proof bird feeder w more...0 points
Perky Pet 348 Wild Bird Window Feeder
1 Cup Capacity Window Bird Feeder Holds Any Type Of more...0 points
The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats (Rodale Organic Gardening Book) by Sally Roth
Become the best bird host in your neighborhood. Let more...0 points
The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley
David Allen Sibley, America's most gifted contemporary more...0 points
Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behaviour (Ornithology) by David Sibley
This work is a follow-up and companion volume to t more...0 points
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America
New enthusiasts are flocking in record numbers to the more...0 points
Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America by Kenn Kaufman
In 2000 Houghton Mifflin first published the Kaufm more...0 points
Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs) by Donald Stokes, Lillian Stokes
Features: Consists of three CDs and a guide bookle more...0 points
Birds of Winter Lenses
These are some of the other birds that visit our habitat in Southeastern Louisiana during Winter.
Kinglet Postcard
Ruby-crowned Kinglets on Zazzle
Check out these Zazzle products by naturegirl7.

Gifts for the Nature Lover
These lenses contain many beautiful nature and bird related photos, art work and gift ideas for the nature lover on your list.
Leave us a note before you pop out.
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Reply
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wilddove6
Jan 23, 2010 @ 12:13 pm | delete
- What a delightful lens on such a delightful bird!
I live in the Pacific Northwest and we get both the Ruby-crowned and Gold-crowned Kinglet.
You can always tell when a flock is moving through on a trail hike...lots of wee twitters, and no fear of anything :)
Your pictures are amazing given this fast and flighty little gem!
Wing high five!
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ElizabethJeanAllen
Dec 8, 2008 @ 7:36 pm | delete
- What an adorable little bird. I have to admit, I never heard of it. Its not on the South Carolina lists anyway. And yes, I want a bluebird box for Christmas as well but my husband doesn't know a bluebird box from a Martin house. I'm giving him one for Christmas. That way I'll get what I want.
Great lens
Lizzy
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Comfortdoc
Dec 3, 2008 @ 10:01 pm | delete
- Thank you for submitting this to the Spirit of the Season Challenge. Great to see the Zazzle module at work.
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Reply
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spoonfulsofdoodles Dec 2, 2008 @ 10:08 pm | delete
- Beautifully done and that new Zazzle module is superb!! :)
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Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blog Posts
- JOAN CARSON | Little kinglets wear ruby and golden crowns
- Ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets are grouped under Old World Warblers in North American field guides. Their European cousins are called (English version) firecrests and goldcrests. Both European kinglets look much like our golden-crowned ...
- In Unalaska, rare birds brighten winter days
- In early November, an American robin, also rare in the Aleutians, appeared on Strawberry Hill, followed by a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (second Aleutian record) and two Golden-crowned Kinglets (first Aleutian record). Bright and spunky, the kinglets soon ...
- Country Ecology: Kinglets
- Golden-crowned kinglets are even a bit shorter than the ruby-crowned kinglet, which does not stick around with us during the cold season. That has a more rollicking voice, but has headed south for the winter months. The golden-crowned has a ...
- OPINION: Rare birds brighten winter days
- In early November, an American robin, also rare in the Aleutians, appeared on Strawberry Hill, followed by a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (second Aleutian record) and two Golden-crowned Kinglets (first Aleutian record). Bright and spunky, the kinglets soon ...
Links to Ruby-crowned Kinglets
All About Birds: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
One of North America's smallest birds, the Ruby-cr more...0 points
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
The Golden-crowned Kinglet is similar in size to t more...0 points
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Birdweb
Male Ruby-crowned Kinglets have bright red crests more...0 points
eNature.com Nature Guides
Because kinglets weigh little, they are able to fe more...0 points
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Whatbird.com
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Medium kinglet, olive-green more...0 points
Bird Watcher's Digest: Species Identification: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Regulus calendula L 4 ¼&quo more...0 points
ruby-crowned kinglet -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Britannica online encyclopedia article on ruby-cro more...0 points
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
thanks makeupanid for helping with the bird ID of more...0 points
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
Photo of Ruby-crowned Kinglet, range maps, and fac more...0 points
The ruby-crowned kinglet likes lodgepole pine forest
Pictures and description of Ruby-crowned Kinglet, more...0 points
Photo Gallery - Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Birds of North America Online
Jul 28, 2008 ... Adult male Ruby-crowned Kinglet, more...0 points
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