Kinglet WESTERN BIRDS 



to the forests of the north, or the high mountains farther 

 south, to nest. 



In its nesting and food habits it differs not materially 

 from the other Kinglets, preferring, as they do, the 

 pines, firs, and hemlocks for nesting sites, and, like 

 them, being insect eaters. 



The nest is a semi-pensile cup hung from under a 

 branch and skillfully woven onto it. It is constructed 

 of moss and soft material, lined with feathers and hair. 

 The feathers are arranged near the top so that the ends 

 curl over the rim, thus cleverly concealing the eggs 

 which are from five to ten in number. It seems to be 

 the habit to lay more eggs than this nest will accommo- 

 date on the ground floor so that some must pile on top 

 of the others. One cannot help wondering if they all 

 hatch how all the nestlings can find room. 



The female does all the brooding, the male working 

 off surplus energy by constructing bogus nests in the 

 neighboring trees, which seem never to be used. The 

 male takes care of the first brood of nestlings when they 

 are ready to leave the nest, and the female rears an- 

 other brood, which usually come off the second week 

 of June. 



Forbush tells us of an interesting experience with 

 these Kinglets which illustrates their economic value. 



It is the habit of all the members of this genus to 

 flutter about and hold themselves poised in air before 

 an inviting-looking spray, Warbler fashion. Thes3 

 little Golden-crowns were seen to hover this way before 

 a tuft of pine needles, then light upon it and feed. In- 

 vestigation of the needles after the birds had left them 

 revealed nothing, but examination of unvisited needles 

 proved them to be covered with numerous black specks, 

 the eggs of plant lice, which the birds were industriously 

 eating. Later (December 29, 1905) Dr. Forbush saw 

 seven of these birds in a home grove of white pines. 



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