Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Pronounced (approx.): REG-yoo-lus SAT-ruh-puh
A tiny, active bird that searches foliage and conifer needles for small prey.
Three Identification Clues
A tiny body with a very fine bill and a short, narrow tail.
Adults have a yellow crown bordered by black and a strong pale eyebrow; males may reveal orange in the crown.
Olive upperparts, pale underparts, and a light wingbar help complete the pattern.
Field Photographs
Showing all 6 photographs.
Beyond the first impression
Plumage & Identification
The face is easier than the crown
An adult's pale eyebrow and dark stripe through the eye stand out against an olive back and pale underside. Its very fine bill and rounded body reinforce the identification. A view from below may hide the crown entirely, so do not depend on seeing yellow or orange in every photograph. [1]
Orange can stay concealed
A male may expose the orange center when excited, then close the surrounding feathers over it. An apparently all-yellow crown in one view does not automatically prove the bird is female. Young birds require extra care because their head pattern is less developed. [1]
Life history
How This Bird Lives
Where to look
Listen for very thin, high calls and follow tiny movements among spruce or fir needles. Migration and winter bring kinglets into a wider range of woods, including deciduous trees and suburban plantings. Small mixed flocks are worth checking patiently. [2]
Food & foraging
Kinglets inspect branch tips, needle clusters, and bark for small arthropods and eggs. They sometimes hover to reach the underside of foliage or catch prey in the air. Even in cold weather they keep searching for tiny animal foods rather than relying entirely on seeds. [2]
A deep cup in the evergreen canopy
Both birds build a sheltered nest using moss, silk, plant fibers, and other soft materials, with feathers and hair in the lining. The cup may rest on twigs or hang between them, protected by surrounding needles. [2]
Clutches contain 3–11 eggs. The female incubates for about 15 days while the male brings food; nestlings remain roughly 16–19 days. Please watch feeding adults from a distance rather than trying to expose the concealed nest. [2]
Did you know?
A Closer Look at Golden-crowned Kinglets
Small birds, severe winters
These tiny birds can survive exceptionally cold nights and sometimes huddle together for warmth. Their small size does not mean they must leave every freezing forest for winter. [3]
Two broods can overlap
The female may start another clutch while the male continues feeding the first brood. This division of labor helps a pair raise two broods within a short northern breeding season. [3]
A feather-sized detail
Each nostril has its own tiny covering feather. It is a reminder that useful natural-history details exist on a much smaller scale than the bright crown that first catches our attention. [3]
Sources: [1] Cornell · Identification [2] Cornell · Life history [3] Cornell · Species overview
Range & Sightings
Seasonal Range
View Range Map ↗Recorded Observations
Observation records are not a complete seasonal range map.
iNaturalist observation map ↗