# Golden-crowned Kinglet (*Regulus satrapa*) The Golden-crowned Kinglet is a tiny bird with a bright yellow crown on its head. It loves to flit around in trees, looking for tiny insects to eat. This little bird is very energetic and can be seen hopping from branch to branch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Golden-crowned Kinglet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Regulus_satrapa_-Canada-8a.jpg&width=800) Photo: Gary Irwin, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_satrapa_-Canada-8a.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden-crowned Kinglet is a tiny, olive-green bird with grayish underparts. It has distinctive black stripes on its head, framing a bright yellow or orange-yellow crown patch, bordered by black. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Regulidae - **Genus:** Regulus ## Interesting facts - A male kinglet's bright orange crown is usually hidden, only flashing it when excited or displaying! - Despite their small size, they sometimes travel thousands of kilometers during migration! - These busy birds can eat up to half their body weight in insects every single day! - They can shiver their tiny bodies to create heat and stay warm in icy weather! ## Special abilities - **Acrobatic Foraging:** Golden-crowned Kinglet can hang upside down because of its strong legs and tiny claws that help them snatch insects from needles and twigs. - **Winter Warmth:** Golden-crowned Kinglet has a thick, insulating feather coat that helps them stay warm and survive freezing winter temperatures. - **Invisible Communication:** Golden-crowned Kinglet has a very high-pitched call that allows them to communicate without giving away their location to predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 8-11 cm - **Wingspan:** 14-18 cm - **Weight:** 0.004-0.008 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-4 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 8-12 - **Incubation:** 14-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Tiny insect-eaters that feast on small bugs and spiders found in the forest canopy. - **Primary Foods:** Spiders, Aphids, Caterpillars, Beetle larvae, Leafhoppers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [White Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-spruce) (*Picea glauca*) — Provides nesting sites and food resources. - **Depends on:** [Balsam Fir](https://www.snappit.app/explore/balsam-fir) (*Abies balsamea*) — Offers crucial foraging habitat and shelter. - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — A common predator of small forest birds. - **Hunts:** Spruce Beetle (*Dendroctonus rufipennis*) — Eats larvae and adults from tree bark. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance to keep them safe and happy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden-crowned Kinglet? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Golden-crowned Kinglet? 8-11 cm ### What is Golden-crowned Kinglet's wingspan? 14-18 cm ### How much does Golden-crowned Kinglet weigh? 0.004-0.008 kg ### How long does Golden-crowned Kinglet live? 2-4 years ### How fast can Golden-crowned Kinglet move? 40 km/h ### What does Golden-crowned Kinglet eat? Tiny insect-eaters that feast on small bugs and spiders found in the forest canopy. ### Where is Golden-crowned Kinglet usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Rutgers Ecological Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rutgers-ecological-preserve) — New Jersey, US · Nature Reserve - [Glenn Springs Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glenn-springs-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [New Canaan Nature Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-canaan-nature-center) — Connecticut, US · Botanical Garden - [Pomme de Terre Wildlife Management Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pomme-de-terre-wildlife-management-area) — Louisiana, US · Park [View all places to see Golden-crowned Kinglet](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/golden-crowned-kinglet) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Golden-crowned Kinglet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-crowned-kinglet)