GOLDEN-CROW NEB KINGLET 587 



belt above the Valley. The Golden-crowns do not visit the foothills to 

 any extent; our only record below the Transition Zone is of one bird at 

 1700 feet altitude two miles below El Portal on December 18, 1914. On 

 February 29, 1916, Western Golden-crowned Kinglets were the most com- 

 mon birds in Yosemite Valley, 25 being noted among the 51 birds all 

 told recorded in a census which lasted li/^ hours. 



Golden-crowned kinglets are to be found in small flocks from the time 

 the broods appear in early summer until the beginning of the next nesting 

 season. It seems not unlikely that some of these may be family groups 

 which have never broken up, as a majority of the bands number about 5 

 individuals. Occasionally larger flocks are encountered ; 3 groups observed 

 in Yosemite Valley in the winter of 1914 had 8, 12, and 15 birds, respec- 

 tively. Sometimes the kinglets have associated with them other small 

 species such as the Mountain Chickadee and Sierra Creeper, but more often 

 they remain by themselves. 



In the vicinity of Feliciana Mountain in the fall of 1915 Golden- 

 crowned Kinglets were abundant, and on October 29 particular attention 

 was given to them. Six groups were heard and their numbers, on the 

 basis of notes alone, were estimated at 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, and 3. Four more 

 groups were sought out and their numbers ascertained by actual count, 

 the results being 5, 6, 5, and 5. On this basis, in the fall months, we should 

 expect to find about pve Golden-crowned Kinglets in each small flock 

 recorded by ear. 



These birds forage in both coniferous and broad-leaved trees, but most 

 of their time is spent in the former. Their food is obtained on the smaller 

 branches and amid the needles and leaves and consists of small insects. 

 At all times the birds are active, hopping lightly this way or that as 

 occasion requires, and often fluttering the wings as a help, perhaps, in 

 maintaining a certain position or in holding their balance when stretching 

 out for some titbit otherwise beyond reach. The members of a flock keep 

 in rather close proximity though each forages irrespectively of his neighbor. 



The voice of the Western Golden-crowned Kinglet is so simple and 

 weak as to be a decided disappointment to anyone who has heard and 

 enjoyed the song of the Ruby-crown. The Golden-crown utters nothing 

 but faint high-pitched lisping notes. The full song is a series of these 

 beginning slowly, then given more rapidly, with one or two separated 

 syllables at the end: ise; tse, tse, tse-tse-tse-tse, tse, tse. This is to be 

 heard in the spring season and at least until the end of June. During 

 the remainder of the year notes of similar character are uttered, but in 

 shorter series, or singly. So far as we knoAv this is the main difference 

 between song and call in the Golden-crowned Kinglet. It seems rather 

 odd that this bird should be so limited in vocabulary and weak of voice 



