The question “What is a black bird with a golden crown?” refers to a specific species of bird that has black plumage and a distinctive golden crown of feathers on its head. This is likely referring to the golden-crowned kinglet, a small songbird found throughout North America. The golden-crowned kinglet is known for its unique appearance, with olive-gray upperparts, white underparts, white wingbars, and a flaming orange-yellow crown stripe that is bordered by black. The crown gives this tiny bird its common name. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the golden-crowned kinglet, its identification, range, habitat, diet, and other interesting facts about this striking little bird.
Identifying the Golden-Crowned Kinglet
The golden-crowned kinglet is one of the smallest songbirds in North America, measuring only 4-5 inches in length and weighing about 5-10 grams. Despite its tiny size, the kinglet’s bright crown makes it easy to identify. The male has a brilliant orange-yellow central crown stripe bordered by black. Females have a duller yellow-olive central crown stripe that is also bordered in black. Both sexes have a white eye ring and thin, pointed bill. The upperparts are olive-gray and the underparts are pale gray to white. The wings have two distinct white wing bars. The song is a very high-pitched series of tsi-tsi-tsi notes. In flight, the kinglets display flashes of white on the outer tail feathers.
To distinguish the golden-crowned kinglet from the similar ruby-crowned kinglet, look at the crown pattern. Ruby-crowned kinglets have a red crown stripe that is usually concealed, whereas golden-crowned kinglets have the distinctive golden stripe bordered in black that is always visible. Ruby crowns also have an all-gray back and lack the white wing bars seen in golden-crowned.
Appearance
– Small size, about 4-5 inches long
– Bright orange-yellow crown stripe bordered in black on males, duller on females
– Gray upperparts
– White underparts
– White wing bars visible in flight
– Thin pointed bill
– White eye ring
Song
– A very high-pitched series of tsi-tsi-tsi notes
Range and Habitat
The golden-crowned kinglet has an extensive range across North America. They breed across Canada and the mountainous regions of the western United States. In winter, they can be found throughout the United States and down into Central America.
These tiny songbirds are found in coniferous or mixed forests, especially areas with spruce, fir, pine, hemlock, and cedar trees. They prefer mature, dense stands of trees but can also be found in younger regenerating forests. In winter, they also inhabit deciduous woods and scrubby areas. Kinglets primarily stay in the trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They are almost always on the move as they forage, fluttering rapidly among the branches.
Breeding Range
– Across Canada
– Mountainous regions of western United States
Winter Range
– Throughout the United States
– Mexico
– Guatemala
– Honduras
Habitat
– Coniferous forests
– Mixed forests with spruce, fir, pine, hemlock, cedar
– Mature, dense stands of trees
– Also found in younger regenerating forests
– Deciduous woods and scrubby areas in winter
Diet
The diet of the golden-crowned kinglet consists primarily of insects and other small invertebrates. They forage actively among the tree branches searching for food, sometimes joining mixed flocks with other small songbirds like chickadees and kinglets.
About three-quarters of their diet is made up of spiders and insects. They often pick small caterpillars, beetles, true bugs, ants, wasps, and sawflies directly off the surface of leaves and branches. They will also hawk flying insects, hovering briefly to grab their prey.
The other quarter of their diet is made up of fruit and seeds, especially in winter when insect prey is scarcer. They consume berries, conifer seeds, and maple samaras.
Golden-crowned kinglets forage almost constantly during the day to get enough calories to survive. Their fast metabolism requires them to eat frequently. They make up for their tiny size with hyperactive foraging maneuvers and a diverse diet.
Diet consists mainly of:
– Spiders
– Insects like caterpillars, beetles, true bugs, ants, wasps, sawflies
– Some fruit and seeds, especially in winter
– Berries
– Conifer seeds
– Maple samaras
Foraging habits:
– Forages actively in trees searching for prey
– Picks insects and spiders from leaves and branches
– Hawks flying insects by hovering briefly
– Will join mixed flocks in winter
– Must forage constantly to meet fast metabolism
Breeding and Nesting
Golden-crowned kinglets breed in mature coniferous or mixed forests across Canada and the mountainous western U.S. They are migratory, traveling to southern wintering grounds after breeding.
They start forming pairs and establishing breeding territories in March and April as they return from migration. Only the female builds the nest, carefully weaving together moss, lichens, spiderwebs, pine needles, and feathers. She creates a compact, cup-shaped nest lined with soft materials and feathers. Nests are typically placed near the tip of a conifer branch, 6 to 80 feet above ground.
Females lay 6-12 tiny white eggs with reddish-brown speckling. They incubate the eggs for about 12-14 days. Hatchlings are altricial, meaning they are helpless, blind, and featherless at birth. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge the nest in 14-18 days. First-year mortality is high, but adults may live for several years. Most golden-crowned kinglets raise one brood per season.
Breeding Facts:
– Breed in coniferous and mixed forests
– Form pairs and establish territories in March-April
– Female builds compact, cup-shaped nest out of moss, lichens, fibers
– Nest placed 6-80 feet up in conifer tree
– Lays 6-12 white eggs with reddish-brown spots
– Eggs incubated for 12-14 days
– Young fledge 14-18 days after hatching
Migration
Golden-crowned kinglets are migratory songbirds, breeding in Canada and the western mountains but wintering in the southern U.S. and down into Central America. Their spring migration occurs relatively early, with the birds arriving on the breeding grounds as early as March and April. Fall migration begins in September and October as they travel south for the winter.
Some research indicates the migration routes and timing of golden-crowned kinglets may be genetically programmed. First-year birds are able to navigate successfully on their first fall migration to the wintering grounds, even without guidance from experienced adults. The shortening day length in late summer triggers them to begin migratory restlessness and fat deposition.
Golden-crowned kinglets migrate primarily at night and can cover 80 miles or more in a single night during peak migration. They stop periodically during the day to rest and feed. Migration takes a heavy toll and mortality is high among first-year birds. Predation, food shortages, storms, and collisions with buildings account for the high mortality rates.
Migration Pattern:
– Breeding grounds: Canada, western mountains
– Wintering grounds: southern U.S., Mexico, Central America
– Spring migration: March-April
– Fall migration: September-October
Migration Facts:
– Shortening day length triggers migratory restlessness in fall
– Migrate primarily at night, cover up to 80+ miles per night
– Stop over periodically during day to rest and feed
– Mortality is high, especially in first-year birds
Threats and Conservation
The golden-crowned kinglet is still a widespread and common species, but they face some conservation threats primarily related to habitat loss.
Deforestation has reduced their breeding habitat in some regions, especially the loss of spruce-fir forests. Forest fragmentation also degrades their habitat. Clear cutting and other forestry practices interrupt the mature, dense stands of trees they prefer.
Climate change may impact golden-crowned kinglets in the future if temperatures or precipitation patterns shift significantly in their breeding and wintering grounds. Extreme weather during migration can also be detrimental.
Collisions with buildings and other structures are a hazard, especially during migration. Kinglets evolved navigating natural environments, not cities. Installing bird-friendly architecture and reducing light pollution near cities can help reduce collision mortality.
Overall the golden-crowned kinglet remains common across most of its range. Protecting mature conifer forests and reducing habitat fragmentation on the breeding grounds will benefit kinglet populations into the future.
Conservation Threats:
– Deforestation reducing habitat, especially spruce-fir forests
– Habitat fragmentation from logging
– Climate change altering breeding and wintering grounds
– Collisions with human structures during migration
Conservation Actions:
– Protection of mature conifer forests
– Reducing habitat fragmentation
– Bird-friendly building design
– Reduction of light pollution in cities
Fun Facts
Here are a few fun and interesting facts about the dazzling golden-crowned kinglet:
– Despite being one of the smallest songbirds, the kinglet has a very loud, excitable song. Its voice is much bigger than its body!
– The kinglet stays warm and conserves heat in cold climates by fluffing its feathers. This makes it look like a little round ball.
– To survive long cold nights, kinglets go into nocturnal hypothermia, lowering their body temperature by about 10-12°F to conserve energy.
– The male and female kinglet look so different that early ornithologists thought they were two completely different species!
– Kinglets are constantly on the move as they forage, hopping and hovering from branch to branch. They can visit up to 300 trees per day!
– Their thin pointed bill is an adaptation for picking insects off bark crevices and leaves.
– The pulsing wing beats and swaying motions of kinglet flight have been described as resembling a small pendulum clock.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the “black bird with a golden crown” refers specifically to the golden-crowned kinglet, a tiny songbird marked by its brilliant orange-yellow crown stripe. We explored how to identify the golden-crowned kinglet, its widespread range across North America, its preferred coniferous forest habitat, and its diet and foraging habits. We also covered details on its breeding biology, migration patterns, conservation status, and some unique and endearing traits of this active little songster. The golden-crowned kinglet remains a spirited and captivating sight among the tree branches for birders across the continent to admire. Its brightly colored crown never fails to add sparkle to a wintry day.