The Golden-Crowned Kinglet {Reguius satrapa) 



By W. Leon Dawson 



Description. — Adult male: Crown-patch (partially concealed) bright orange 

 or flame-color (cadmium orange) ; a border of plain yellow feathers over-lying 

 the orange on the sides ; these in turn bordered by black in front and on sides ; 

 extreme forehead white, connecting with white superciliary stripe; a dark line 

 through eye ; above bright olive-green, becoming olive-gray on nape and side of 

 head and neck ; wing-quills and tail-feathers much edged with light greenish 

 3'ellow, the former in such fashion as to throw into relief a dusky spot on middle 

 of secondaries ; greater coverts tipped with whitish ; underparts sordid white, some- 

 times dusky-washed, or touched on sides with olivaceous. Adult female : Similar, 

 but with crown-patch plain yellow instead of orange. Immature : Without crown- 

 patch or bordering black, gradually acquiring these through gradation of color. 

 Length about 4.00 (101.6) ; wing 2.26 (57.4) ; tail 1.71 (43.4) ; bill from nostril 

 .21 (5.3). 



Recognition Marks. — Pygmy size; orange, or yellow, and black of crown 

 distinctive. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. A^est, pensile, but receiving auxiliary 

 support from sides ; of moss, lined with fine inner-bark strips, black rootlets, and 

 feathers; in coniferous trees, usually at considerable heights. Eggs, 8-10, in two 

 layers, creamy white or sordid cream-color, dotted, spotted, and blotched with 

 pale wood-brown, and sometimes obscurely with lavender. Av. size, .54 x .40 

 (13.7 X 10.2). 



General Range. — North America generally, except Pacific Coast, breeding 

 in the northern and elevated parts of the United States, and northward ; migrat- 

 ing southward in winter to Guatemala. 



Our artist has done well to picture the royal midgets among the autumn 

 leaves. It is when the crimson and gold are being lavished on every hillside 

 and the year is sinking in sumptuous splendor that these little whisperers steal 

 in upon us almost unnoticed. But when the transient glory of the trees has 

 turned to sodden mold, the cheerful company of Kinglets is still to be found — 

 ungarnered leaves too full of sap for October's vintage, staunch potentates un- 

 shaken by the winter winds. 



It is passing strange that bits of birdanity no bigger than Hop-o'-my-Thumb 

 should prefer to spend the winter with us, but so it is, and we are mightily 

 cheered by their presence. Zero weather has no terrors for them and the good 

 fellowship of winter seems in no wise marred by storms. 



Kinglets go in troops which keep a little to themselves, but which are still 

 enrolled in the membership of some larger bird-troop of winter. Brown Creep- 

 ers, especially, affect their company with a persistence which must sometimes 

 l)e a little vexing to the more vivacious birds ; but there is no complaint or hauteur 



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