# Ruby-crowned Kinglet (*Corthylio calendula*) The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a tiny bird with a bright red crown on its head. It loves to flit around trees and bushes, searching for tiny insects to eat. These little birds are very energetic and fun to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Ruby-crowned Kinglet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/20231013_ruby_crowned_kinglet_south_meadows_trail_PND06987-topaz-enhance-3600w.jpg&width=800) Photo: Paul Danese, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20231013_ruby_crowned_kinglet_south_meadows_trail_PND06987-topaz-enhance-3600w.jpg) ## Appearance The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a tiny, active songbird with olive-green plumage and a prominent white eye-ring. Males have a bright red crown patch, often concealed, which they can flash when excited. They are noticeably smaller than warblers and chickadees. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Regulidae - **Genus:** Regulus ## Interesting facts - Baby kinglets hatch featherless and are completely helpless at birth! - Their song is remarkably loud for their size, making them easy to hear! - They build unique cup-shaped nests, held together with spider silk! - This tiny bird can migrate thousands of kilometers twice a year! ## Special abilities - **Hover-Hunter:** Ruby-crowned Kinglet can hover in mid-air with rapid wing beats, that helps them pluck tiny insects from leaves and bark. - **Crown Flash:** Ruby-crowned Kinglet has a hidden red crown patch that helps them signal excitement or dominance to other kinglets. - **Acrobatic Forager:** Ruby-crowned Kinglet can hang upside down like an acrobat that helps them find hidden bugs on branches. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 9-11 cm - **Wingspan:** 14-18 cm - **Weight:** 0.005-0.008 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-6 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 7-12 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds mostly eat small insects and spiders, but sometimes enjoy berries or tree sap! - **Primary Foods:** beetles, flies, spiders, caterpillars, berries, tree sap - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** [White Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-spruce) (*Picea glauca*) — Nests are often built high in coniferous trees like spruce. - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — Small birds like kinglets are common prey for this hawk. - **Eats:** Stretch Spider (*Tetragnatha extensa*) — Kinglets consume many types of spiders found in their habitat. - **Eats:** Lake Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — They forage on small insects, including various midge species. ## 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. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ruby-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 Ruby-crowned Kinglet? 9-11 cm ### What is Ruby-crowned Kinglet's wingspan? 14-18 cm ### How much does Ruby-crowned Kinglet weigh? 0.005-0.008 kg ### How long does Ruby-crowned Kinglet live? 1-6 years ### How fast can Ruby-crowned Kinglet move? 45 km/h ### What does Ruby-crowned Kinglet eat? These tiny birds mostly eat small insects and spiders, but sometimes enjoy berries or tree sap! ### Where is Ruby-crowned Kinglet usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Brewton Historic Commercial District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brewton-historic-commercial-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Frelinghuysen Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/frelinghuysen-arboretum) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden - [Murie Ranch Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/murie-ranch-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Alaska SeaLife Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alaska-sealife-center) — Alaska, US · Zoo - [Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/drumheller-channels-national-natural-landmark) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Eden Gardens State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eden-gardens-state-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Ruby-crowned Kinglet](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ruby-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: [Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-crowned-kinglet)