Ruby Crowned Kinglet

On Monday I was doing some last of the year yard cleanup when I noticed this little bird lying on the porch. He had obviously was killed when he hit the window glass.

The petite Kinglets are among the smallest of our native birds. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Golden-crowned Kinglet are the only two species that occur in North America, and they are common in all but the coldest regions of North America.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet breeds from Alaska east across Canada to Newfoundland, south California and New Mexico, and to the Great Lakes region and northern New England in the east. Spends winters south from southern British Columbia and California across the southern tier of states to southern New England. Preferred habitats include coniferous and deciduous forests. This guy was most likely migrating through the area.

ale Ruby-crowned Kinglets have bright red crests (that can vary in color to orange), which can be raised when the bird is excited but which are more often completely hidden. Females look like males but lack the red crest.