Ruby-crowned kinglet
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) is one of the tiniest birds you’ll see in North America, only about 4 inches long. It’s mostly olive-green with a white eye ring and two bright wing bars. If you spot a male when he’s excited or defending his space, you might catch a flash of his hidden ruby-red crown feathers, which is how the bird got its name.
Even though it’s small, this bird has big energy. It’s almost always on the move, flicking its wings as it zips through trees and bushes looking for insects and spiders. Sometimes it eats berries too. What really surprises people is its voice — for such a tiny bird, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet sings a loud, complicated song that carries through the forest.
These birds spend their summers breeding in the far northern forests of Canada and the western mountains of the U.S. When winter comes, they migrate south to warmer areas, often showing up in woodlands, parks, and even backyards across much of the southern U.S. and Mexico. Despite weighing less than a nickel, they travel thousands of miles every year.