348 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



stilled. At all seasons it is likely to be found in small flocks 

 or family groups. The nest is placed in a rotten stub or fence 

 post, usually from 2 to 5 feet above the ground, the cavity 

 sometimes being excavated by the birds themselves, and lined 

 with shreds of bark, hair, fur, arid feathers. 



Food habits. — Seven stomachs of the Carolina chickadee 

 examined by Judd contained insects, including bees, ants, 

 caterpillars, and katydid eggs. Spiders also were found and 

 mulberrj' seeds, pine seeds, and seeds of ragweed.^ 



KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS, ETC.: Family Sylviidae. 



GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET : Regulus regulus satrapa 



Lichtenstein.* 



State records. — The golden-crowned kinglet is a moderately 

 common winter resident over most of the State. McCormack 

 has observed it at Leighton between October 9 and March 24 

 and I saw one there March 30 (1912). Avery notes its ar- 

 rival at Greensboro, October 18 (1893), and October 21 

 (1890) ; and Dean found it numerous at Anniston, October 15 

 (1916) ; Brown reports it common up to the first of April at 

 Coosada, and Saunders found it abundant at Woodbine, March 

 7 to 25, 1908. I observed a single bird at Bayou Labatre, 

 February 9, 1912, and four at York, February 28, 1912. Holt 

 saw a few at Jackson and Carlton in February ; Goldman took 

 one at Ardell, March 28, 1915; and Dean noted the last at 

 Anniston, March 26, 1916. 



General habits. — The kinglet is found during the winter sea- 

 son in loose flocks, often associating with nuthatches, chicka- 

 dees, and the ruby-crowned kinglet. It is one of our smallest 

 birds, ranking next in size to the hummingbird. It is a hardy 

 species, active, restless, and quite fearless. It prefers conifer- 

 ous trees, where it feeds much about the ends of the branches, 

 fluttering from tuft to tuft or hovering in front of some par- 

 ticularly attractive bunch of leaves, from which it apparently 

 secures minute insects. During migration it is often found in 

 orchards or shade trees; Wayne mentions seeing a hundred 

 or more in weed-grown fields in November.f It does not sing 



]:Judd, S. D., Biol. Surv. BulL 17, pp. 107-108. 1902. 



*R<!gula8 satrapa satrapa of the A. O. U. Check-list; for change of name see The 

 Ank, vol. 35, p. 214, 1918. 



tWaync, A. T., Birds of South Carolina, p. 197, 1910. 



