KINGLETS AND GNATCATCHERS 



RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET 

 Regulus calendula calendula ( Liiiiuciis) 



Other Names. — Ruhy-crowned Wren : Riihv-crown ; 

 Ruby-crowned Warbler. 



General Description. — Length, 4!,_. inclies. Unper 

 parts, olive; under parts, grayish-buflfy. 



Color. — .-\dl'lt M.\le: Above, plain grayish-olive 

 on the head, gradually assuming a more decided olive 

 hue on back, the rump and upper tail-coverts, more 

 greenish-olive ; a large, concealed fan or zvciUjc-sliafi'd 

 patch of clear fcnnilion-rcd hciiinning at center of 

 crozi'ii and overlapping back of head; wings and tail, 

 dusky with light yellowish-olive or olive-yellow edg- 

 ings, middle coverts narrowly tipped with pale grayish- 

 olive, the greater coverts more broadly tipped with 

 dull white (forming two bands across wing), the 

 inner wing quills broadly edged with dull whitish; 

 a broad whitish eye-ring, interrupted on upper eyelid, 

 the eyelids themselves, black ; rest of head, gray fading 

 into pale grayish-butTy on chin, throat, and chest, the 

 remaining under parts similar but more yellowish. 



especially on flanks, the abdomen and under tail- 

 coverts olive-whitish; iris, dark brown. .Ann.T Female; 

 Similar to adult male, but without the red crown-patch. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest; Semipensile, placed almost 

 invariably near or at end of a coniferous tree usually 

 within 25 feet of ground; neatly and compactly built, 

 with soft thick walls made of moss, fine strips of 

 bark, grasses, and cocoons and lined warmly with 

 feathers and hair. Eggs: 5 to g, dull white or pale 

 buffy. speckled chiefly around larger end with light 

 brown. 



Distribution. — North .America in general, in wooded 

 districts, north to the limit of tree growth, in Labrador, 

 northern Keewatin, Mackenzie, Yukon, and Alaska (to 

 valley of Kowak River) ; breeding southward to Que- 

 bec, northern Michigan, and high mountains of New 

 Me.xico. Arizona, and northern California; in winter 

 southward entirely across United States, and over 

 whole of Me.xico to higlilands of Guatemala. 



The genus to which the little Kinglets belong 

 is called Rcgtiliis. the translation of which is 

 " petty king," in recognition of the patch of yel- 

 low, orange, or scarlet, shown on the toj) of the 

 birds' head and which suggests a crown. These 

 dainty little feathered " Hop-o-My-Thumbs," as 

 Mr. Burroughs aptly called them, are the small- 

 est of our birds, the Hummingbirds alone ex- 

 cepted. There is but a slight difference in their 

 size, and little in their general coloring, excepting 



the distinctive marks indicated by their names: 

 and their habits also are similar. 



In the Ruby-crowned species this mark is 

 likely to be altogether overlooked, unless the bird 

 is excited or angry. " How does the Ruby- 

 crowned Kinglet know he has a bit of color on 

 his crown which he can tincover at will, and that 

 this has great charms for the female?" asks Mr. 

 Burroughs. " Dtiring the rivalries of the males 

 in the mating season, and in autumn also, thev 



Drawing by R. I. Brasher 



RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET ( ; nat. 



