Kinglets

Kinglets (family Regulidae) are tiny, active insectivorous songbirds with boldly patterned wings. They have weak fluttering flight and hover at the tips of branches to glean insects from the vegetation and tree bark. They drink tree sap made available by sapsuckers. Nests are small cups placed high in coniferous Trees. Their voice is a series of high-pitched tse notes, followed by a trill of tse notes or liberty-liberty-liberty.

Limited to the Northern Hemisphere, there are six species of kinglets; two of them occur in North America, including Saskatchewan. The drab looking, migratory ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula) breeds in coniferous and mixedwood stands in the boreal forest, and is a transient in southern Saskatchewan. Only adult male ruby-crowned kinglets have the red-coloured crown. The smaller golden-crowned kinglet has a boldly striped face and crown; adults of both sexes have a yellow to orange crown. This kinglet breeds in mature coniferous and mixedwood stands in the boreal forest and Cypress Hills, and can overwinter in southern Saskatchewan.

Further Reading