Golden-crowned Kinglet

This was a nice sight on a very cold day. Golden-crowned Kinglets are a small songbird that have a rounded body, no apparent neck and a tiny beak. The cold makes them fluff their feathers and they look even rounder. They are very active, move erratically and are hard to photograph. But they are fun to watch. They are also extremely hardy and can survive very cold conditions. Some migrate south during the winter, which is when we see them here in southern New England. But they are permanent residents in northern New England, New York and southern Canada along the St. Lawrence. Hardly a warm place in the winter! They are also found in parts of the western US as permanent residents. Most of the rest of the US only sees them during the winter.

You need to be patient and take a lot photos to get just a few good ones. Most end up being blurs, the very tip of a tail as they flit away or empty branches. Even photos that include a bird usually have a lot of branches. These two are illustrative.

Males have a black and white striped face and a yellow crown. There is an orange patch within the crown but it is usually hidden. This photo is a bit blurry but you can make out a bit of the orange.

I did get some full views. In this one, he is looking for a hidden insect or a seed.

Here’s a bird version of a smile for the camera to thank you for visiting.