The golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa) is a tiny songbird that breeds across Canada and the northern United States. Despite its small size, weighing only about 5-8 grams, the golden-crowned kinglet undertakes an epic migration each year, traveling thousands of miles between its breeding grounds and wintering areas. Understanding where these birds go and the routes they take can help us protect important stopover habitats and ensure connectivity of their migratory pathways.
Quick Facts on Golden-crowned Kinglets
- Scientific name: Regulus satrapa
- Length: 4-5 inches
- Wingspan: 7-8 inches
- Weight: 5-8 grams
- Lifespan: 2-3 years
- Diet: Insects, spiders, berries
- Notable features: Tiny size, striped crown
- Conservation status: Least concern
As their name suggests, golden-crowned kinglets are distinguished by the bright orange and yellow stripes on the crown of their otherwise olive-gray heads. Their extremely small size makes them one of the smallest songbirds in North America. They feed on insects and spiders plucked from branches and leaves as they flit actively through treetops.
Breeding Range
During the spring and summer breeding season, golden-crowned kinglets can be found across forested areas of Canada and the northern United States, roughly south to northern California in the west and Maryland in the east. Their breeding range centers on the boreal forests of Canada but extends into temperate broadleaf and mixed forests as well.
Some key areas where golden-crowned kinglets breed include:
- Western mountains (Rocky Mountains, Cascades, Sierra Nevada)
- Boreal forests of Canada and Alaska
- Mixed forests of southern Canada and the northeastern U.S.
- Upper Midwest forests
- Appalachian Mountains
- Higher elevation pine forests in southeastern U.S.
Within these forested areas, golden-crowned kinglets nest in conifers such as spruce, fir, and pine. They build compact cup nests near the tips of outer branches, 10-100 feet above ground. Their nests are well-hidden and difficult for predators to access.
Winter Range
As winter approaches, golden-crowned kinglets migrate south to warmer climates across the southern United States and into Mexico and Central America. Their winter range stretches along the U.S. Gulf Coast and southwestern states into Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Some key regions where golden-crowned kinglets spend the winter include:
- Southeastern U.S. from Texas to North Carolina
- Southern California
- Mexico
- Guatemala
- Cuba
- Bahamas
In these areas, golden-crowned kinglets inhabit a variety of wooded habitats including pine-oak forests, tropical deciduous forests, palm groves, and shade coffee plantations. They often join mixed flocks with other northern migrants such as ruby-crowned kinglets, warblers, and vireos.
Spring and Fall Migration Routes
Each spring and fall, golden-crowned kinglets undertake long migrations between their breeding and wintering grounds. These routes cover thousands of miles and are accomplished by a succession of flights interspersed with stopovers to rest and refuel.
In spring, golden-crowned kinglets migrate north along the Atlantic coast, through the interior U.S., and up the Pacific coast. Key stopover areas include:
- Appalachian Mountains
- Northern U.S. woodlands
- Great Lakes region
- Northern prairie provinces of Canada
- Pacific Northwest and British Columbia
In fall, they trace a similar but reversed pathway south through the continent to reach their wintering grounds. Some key fall stopover sites are:
- Northern boreal forests of Canada
- Great Lakes region
- Appalachian Mountains
- Coastal woodlands of southeastern U.S.
- Gulf Coast and south Texas
These migration routes loop across North America in sweeping arcs to connect the birds’ breeding and wintering areas. Maintaining habitat at stopover sites along these routes is crucial for supporting golden-crowned kinglets and many other migratory songbirds during their strenuous seasonal journeys.
Threats during Migration
Golden-crowned kinglets and other small songbirds face a number of threats during their migratory journeys, including:
- Loss of stopover habitat
- Collisions with buildings and structures
- Predation by birds of prey
- Extreme weather events
- Lack of food resources
Habitat loss, particularly deforestation, eliminates crucial places for birds to rest and refuel during migration. Structures such as communication towers and wind turbines also contribute to higher collision mortalities. Providing habitat corridors and minimizing light pollution can help mitigate these threats.
Tracking Migration Pathways
Ornithologists have tracked golden-crowned kinglets and other migratory songbirds using methods such as:
- Banding and band recoveries – capturing birds and placing numbered metal bands on their legs provides information when banded birds are recaptured or found deceased.
- Radio telemetry – tagging birds with radio transmitters allows tracking movement patterns.
- Stable isotope analysis – examining ratios of elements like hydrogen in feathers can reveal a bird’s geographic origin and movement.
- Geolocators – tiny devices attached to birds can record the timing of migratory movements.
Analysis of records from bird banding stations has yielded maps detailing some of the migration routes and stopover sites used by golden-crowned kinglets and other species. Newer tracking technologies continue to provide more detailed insights into the phenomenal migrations undertaken by tiny songbirds.
Notable Migration Records
Some extreme long-distance migration records for golden-crowned kinglets include:
- Alaska to Guatemala – 4,300 miles (6,920 km)
- Saskatchewan to Cuba – 3,000 miles (4,800 km)
- Manitoba to Bahamas – 2,500 miles (4,000 km)
These transcontinental journeys illustrate the tenacity and endurance of small songbirds like the golden-crowned kinglet. Their migratory feats are even more impressive considering the birds’ tiny size.
Why Migrate Such Long Distances?
Golden-crowned kinglets and other northern songbirds migrate such extreme distances for a few key reasons:
- To reach optimal breeding areas and habitats during the summer nesting season
- To find abundant food needed to breed and raise young
- To escape harsh northern winter conditions and find warmer climates
- To follow cyclical bursts of food resources, especially insects and fruit
By linking distant areas with abundant resources in different seasons, migration enables songbirds to take advantage of these temporary food bonanzas. Despite the risks inherent in long migrations, the payoff is more productive breeding and higher survival overall.
Conclusion
The migratory journey of golden-crowned kinglets spans thousands of miles and connects vast areas across North America. These tiny songbirds undertake heroic seasonal migrations to find the best habitats for nesting in summer and escaping harsh weather in winter. Learning their migratory pathways and protecting stopover habitats can help ensure their resilience despite threats ranging from habitat loss to collisions with human structures. As research continues to reveal new insights from emerging technologies, conserving migratory songbirds will rely on maintaining landscape connections over continental scales.
