Ruby-crowned Kinglet

(Regulus calendula)

Conservation Status
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Photo by Laurie Wachholz
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5B - Secure Breeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

The upper parts are olive green. The underparts are whitish to yellowish. There is a prominent white wingbar. On the head there is a prominent, broken, light eye riing. The male has a small red crown that is often hidden. The female lacks the red crown.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

3½ to 4¼ in length

6½ to 7½ wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Breeding: Coniferous and mixed forests and woodlands with spruce,

Migration: Coniferous, deciduous, and muxed forests with shrub understory

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Migration

 
 

Late March to late May and late August to early November

 
     
 

Nesting

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common to abundant migrant, uncommon to rare breeder

 
         
 

Maps

 
 

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Aves (birds)  
 

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)  
 

Family

Regulidae (kinglets and goldcrests)  
 

Genus

Regulus (kinglets)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Dusky Kinglet (Regulus calendula obscurus)

Northern Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula calendula)

Sitkan Kinglet (Regulus calendula grinnelli)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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J Armst

 
  Flew into our window near a feeder with seed & dried meal worms. Hung out for a few minutes to regroup, but flew away fine. Have lived in our home for 15 years, and this is the first time I’ve seen one here.   Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
 

Diane D.

 
  I noticed a little round bird hopping into the garage through the side door at dusk two days ago. I could not find the bird when I went into the garage at first but then spotted him in the warmest corner of the garage near the door entry to the home. He faced the wall with his head tucked into his body and was shivering a little. I assumed the bird was injured. I was able to pick him up easily and put him in a small open container with tissues and then brought him into the warm basement where I put a cotton rag near the front of the container. The bird was very sweet and did not seem to be afraid of me.   Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
 

I filled a water bottle cap with water and dipped my finger into the water and held it near the bird and he pecked my finger once. I also put a few pumpkin seeds in the container. He pretty quickly buried his head and upper body into the cotton rag and I left him there for the night. I planned to bring him to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in the morning.

In the morning, to my surprise, the bird was perched on the edge of the container and when I approached he took flight and flew around the basement. I opened the door to the garage and the garage door itself and he eventually found his way out and flew away.

  Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
  I am now hoping that this was not a mistake as I’m reading that these birds migrate south to warmer climate and it has been unseasonably cold with temperatures dropping below freezing. I am also worried about the bird being on his own. Can you please tell me what this birds chances for survival are now that he’s back in the cold by himself? Thank you!  
 

Riley TYM Ballack-O'Reilly

 
  Been here two days so far, incredibly busy, very interested in our dining room 12/1 windows, with an evergreen shrub/tree to dance around in.   Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
           
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet   Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
 

Laurie Wachholz

 
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

 

     
 
Slideshows
 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
JMC Nature Photos

  Ruby-crowned Kinglet  

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula
Jean-François Hic

  Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula  

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Luis Villablanca

  Ruby-crowned Kinglet  

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Gary

  Ruby-crowned Kinglet  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Ruby-crowned Kinglet
naturalist97333
 
   
 
About

Published on Dec 25, 2011

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are common winter birds in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Only males have a ruby crown which is often hard to see until they occasionally flare it out. Hutton's Vireos, a year-round bird, look similar but make different sounds.

 
  Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Tiany Davis
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 5, 2013

Great view of the rarely seen crown on a Ruby Crowned Kinglet visiting my window. One of the smallest birds in North America. The male shows its red crown only infrequently. See more birds at http://www.SocialSavvyMom.com

 
  Ruby Crowned Kinglet
SmellLikeDirt
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jan 9, 2009

Great view of the rarely seen crown on a Ruby Crowned Kinglet visiting my window feeder.

 
  Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing and hunting bugs in Mayslake
chicagobirder
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Apr 19, 2010

Slow motion of Kinglet with normal speed song in the background.

 
  California Wildlife --- Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, foraging & then displaying its red crown
California Wildlife
 
   
 
About

Published on Dec 5, 2015

Orange County, California, USA

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this bird.

 
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Be sure to include a location.
 
  Marlene P
5/2/2023

Location: Rochester, MN

Saw this sweet little bird in the wooded area behind our house. I have never seen it before. We have quite a few bird that migrate through each year. Hope he will be back! What a treat to see!

 
  K MacInnes
4/29/2023

Location: Saint Paul

I was biking on Summit Ave in Saint Paul and saw something in the middle of the bike lane. As I went around I realized it was the cutest little bird with a bright orange spot, and he just looked at me calmly as I passed. I went back to see if it was injured or if I could get it out of the street. When I approached him on foot he flew right up into the tree. 

 
  Deborah Hedlund
4/27/2022

Location: south of Zumbrota on my sons farm in a bare service berry bush near house windows.

Seemed to want to come in or see his reflection in window. I’ve never seen one before. My grandson thought it was a hummingbird it was so tiny and beautiful.

 
  Coro
4/24/2022

Location: Minnetonka

I spotted a male today in my yew bushes.

 
  J Armst
4/25/2022

Location: Minnetonka/Deephaven MN

Flew into our window near a feeder with seed & dried meal worms. Hung out for a few minutes to regroup, but flew away fine. Have lived in our home for 15 years, and this is the first time I’ve seen one here.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  
  Bonnie Harper Lore
4/21/2022 4:00 pm

Location: on Sunset Drive South, Minnetonka

with a few other birds (maybe females)
among dense lilac shrub branches

Heard an unusual happy bird song and spotted the chickadee-sized bird with the bright red “crown"

 
  Vicky Peterson
4/10/2021

Location: New Hope, Mn

outside flying around my patio...

 
  Betty
10/30/2020

Location: on the W side of France Ave just S of 49th St, Minneapolis

unforgettable, as I’d never before seen a bird with such a distinct red “dot” on the top of his head.

 
  Diane D.
10/23/2020

Location: Minnetonka

I noticed a little round bird hopping into the garage through the side door at dusk two days ago. I could not find the bird when I went into the garage at first but then spotted him in the warmest corner of the garage near the door entry to the home. He faced the wall with his head tucked into his body and was shivering a little. I assumed the bird was injured. I was able to pick him up easily and put him in a small open container with tissues and then brought him into the warm basement where I put a cotton rag near the front of the container. The bird was very sweet and did not seem to be afraid of me.

I filled a water bottle cap with water and dipped my finger into the water and held it near the bird and he pecked my finger once. I also put a few pumpkin seeds in the container. He pretty quickly buried his head and upper body into the cotton rag and I left him there for the night. I planned to bring him to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in the morning.

In the morning, to my surprise, the bird was perched on the edge of the container and when I approached he took flight and flew around the basement. I opened the door to the garage and the garage door itself and he eventually found his way out and flew away.

I am now hoping that this was not a mistake as I’m reading that these birds migrate south to warmer climate and it has been unseasonably cold with temperatures dropping below freezing. I am also worried about the bird being on his own. Can you please tell me what this birds chances for survival are now that he’s back in the cold by himself? Thank you!

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 
  Riley TYM Ballack-O'Reilly
4/17/2020

Location: SW Minneapolis, MN

Been here two days so far, incredibly busy, very interested in our dining room 12/1 windows, with an evergreen shrub/tree to dance around in.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

 
  Bernie Stang
5/6/2019

Location: Paynesville MN 56362

In my tree in front of my house - tiny and fast and so spirited !!!

 
  Morgan M.
5/4/2019

Location: Northfield, MN

We live on the edge of town, near a marshy area and a field. Our yard has 8 mature pines in it. Have never seen this guy before. He is hovering near and landing on our front windows… He has his red plumage up. The kids think he has fallen in love with his reflection… Hmmm… He may not be breeding this year! LOL

 
  Christine L.
4/14/2019

Location: city neighborhood in St. Paul, MN (one mile East of the Mississippi River, about ¾  mile South of I94 freeway)

I’ve never seen this beautiful little bird here in my yard!  As I was walking in my garage past the window, this little guy flew in and out of the lilac tree branches outside the window (only about 5’ above the ground) --- crest all fluffed up and raised.  I wondered if he had seen his reflection and was thinking it was another Kinglet.

 
  Bernie Stang
10/23/2018

Location: Paynesville  MN

Beautiful and soooo tiny and they blend in with the green yellow leaves that are left. I saw 3-4 of them today, took some photos and one had the red tuft on its head - the male. Beautiful!!!!!!!

 
  Christina Carter
8/5/2018
(UK format)

Location: Dagenham, Essex, United Kingdom

I saw four of these beautiful birds eating in my front garden, did not get time to take a photo shot

 
  Gayle
12/24/2017

Location: Maple Plain, Minnesota 

a flock of singlets today at our feeder. Squirrel scared them away.

 
  melissakliever
10/12/2017

Location: Princeton, Minnesota

in our yard hit window we picked it up and we a reporting that we had one here lovely bird we have never seen one before 

 
           
 
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