Photo: Wildreturn / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Corthylio calendula
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) is a member of the Regulidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 6.2 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Regulidae Goldcrests, Kinglets
- Genus Corthylio
- Species calendula
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Regulidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes are alike in the field (olive-green to grey-green with two white wingbars, a blackish bar below the lower wingbar, and a broken white eyering); only the male carries a red crown patch, which stays concealed except when he is agitated.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles/immatures resemble the crownless female-type plumage and lack any red crown.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) is a species of bird in the Regulidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA widespread.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.2 g, with a wing length of about 5.8 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet?
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a very small bird that weighs around 6.2 g.
Where does the Ruby-crowned Kinglet live?
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is found across North America with a range covering NA widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Ruby-crowned Kinglet belong to?
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) belongs to the Regulidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Ruby-crowned Kinglet eat?
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Ruby-crowned Kinglet migrate?
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
What sound does the Ruby-crowned Kinglet make?
1 real field recording of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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