Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Olivaceous-grey upperparts, yellowish-olive underparts, distinct white wing-bars, and a broken white eye-ring giving it a spectacles-like appearance. Males possess a ruby-red crown patch, which is typically hidden except when excited or displaying; females and juveniles lack the red crown.

Small size, prominent white eye-ring, two distinct white wing-bars, yellowish-olive edges on flight feathers, and constant wing-flicking behavior.

Length: 9-11 cm, Wingspan: 16-18 cm, Weight: 5-10 g

Call is a distinct, sharp, double-noted 'ji-dit'. Song is a surprisingly loud, three-part phrase beginning with high thin notes, a rapid warble, and a ringing termination.

Insects and spiders, particularly small caterpillars, aphids, ants, and scale insects. Occasionally consumes small berries and tree sap.

Coniferous and mixed forests during breeding season; brushy areas, deciduous woodlands, and suburban gardens during migration and winter.

Strongly migratory, traveling from northern breeding grounds to southern wintering areas.

Builds a deeply cupped, hanging nest made of moss, lichens, and twigs suspended from a conifer branch high up. Lays 5-12 eggs per clutch.

Golden-crowned Kinglet, which has a distinct yellow-and-orange crown and striped facial pattern. Hutton's Vireo is stockier with a heavier bill.

Acts as an important predator of forest insects, including defoliators and bark-dwelling pests, helping to regulate insect populations in coniferous and mixed forests.

Least Concern, with a stable population trend.

Listen for its remarkably loud, complex song or harsh, staccato 'ji-dit' call. Look for rapid wing-flicking in the lower to middle levels of trees and shrubs.

Despite weighing less than a nickel, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is capable of laying a clutch of eggs that can weigh almost as much as the female herself.