Kinglets are twitchy little birds. The first image caught the wing-flick that is a behavioral mark of this species. Beginners might mistake this species for Hammond's Flycatcher or Hutton's Vireo. The male Ruby-crowned Kinglet, though, sports that namesake crown streak when it is excited and raises its crown feathers. The tiny little toothpick legs with yellow feet are another supporting field mark, if you don't also notice the black bar under the white wing bars.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets breed in forests far to the north. They sing in migration, though. That's how I found this one. The loud song last 4 seconds, a high pitched whistled: tee-tee-tee, teer-teer-teer, continuing with an almost chickadee-like: tid-i-lee, tid-i-lee, and breaking up with some closing notes.
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| Ruby-crowned Kinglet. March 18, 2019. Stonewall Mine, California. |
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