Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Ruby-crowned Kinglet

* Featured photo by Barrington wildlife photographer, Stephen Barten

When you are trying to get a handle on bird identifications, it’s useful to apply categories. For instance, size is helpful: big as a crow? As a robin? As a sparrow? Habitat is another important clue: did you see it in a forest? A grassland? A town park? One category perhaps less obvious but which I encourage students of birds to learn more about is what I’d call residential status. Is a bird a permanent resident? A summer breeder only? A winter resident only? Or does it just migrate through the Barrington area in spring and fall?

One that falls into the latter category, and which is a welcome harbinger of spring migration, is the ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula). This diminutive species, even smaller than a sparrow, appears in northern Illinois usually in early April. Because of its size and overall drab coloration, this kinglet – as well as its cousin, the golden-crowned kinglet – is easy to miss. But the attentive bird watcher will take note of a little dynamo flitting through trees and shrubs in early spring, seldom pausing, always flitting from one branch to another in search of insects. The ruby-crowned kinglet is almost constantly in motion.

It gets its name from the patch of crimson feathers atop its head. Most often those feathers – the “crown” – are obscured by the drab olive feathers that cover most of its body. They emerge when the bird is agitated or excited. A couple weeks ago, a house-quarantined friend from the Ravenswood neighborhood in Chicago sent me some photos of a ruby-crown right outside her window, its brilliant crown fully exposed. She sent me several more soon afterwards and in each photo, the crown was easily visible. It happened during one of the several cold snaps of recent weeks and she guessed the little bird wanted to come indoors to the houseplant on the other side of the window.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Photo by Amy Rule

The kinglet may be tiny but its song is another matter. It sings a long series of loud, melodic, fast-paced notes that race up and down and go on for several seconds. One cannot help but marvel at the achievement of such an avian cantata from such a tiny bundle of feathers. The song always makes me smile as I scan nearby branches for a glimpse of the singer.

Another surprising feature of the ruby-crowned kinglet is its seeming friendliness, its fearlessness in the company of humans close by. Often on bird walks in the Barrington area, I can point out a kinglet, with its prominent white wing bar and white eye ring, only several feet away from us. Rarely does it fly away at our approach.

Ruby-crowned kinglets, like their golden-crowned cousins, tell us of migrants to come. They winter mostly in the southern part of our country and so have less far to travel to reach our latitude. But they will only pass through, as they are headed to more northerly regions to breed. That makes every ruby-crowned kinglet an ephemeral sighting, not to be repeated until the bird passes through the Barrington area again on its way south. Look for the species outside your window, in nearby trees, in parks, forest preserves – just about anywhere – and see if you don’t become a fan of its pertness, pluck, and energy.

About Wendy Paulson

Wendy Paulson has lived in Barrington Hills since 1975, and has led bird walks in the area for many years. She re-established the Nature Lady program in the Barrington 220 school district and St. Anne’s in the late 70s, under the auspices of The Garden Club and Little Garden Club of Barrington. Wendy developed the education program for Citizens for Conservation, initiated and edited its newsletter, and has been an active volunteer with CFC for over 30 years.

During interludes in New York City and Washington, DC, Wendy taught classes about birds in the public schools and is helping to develop a similar program in Chicago public schools with Openlands. She is chairman of The Bobolink Foundation, serves on the board or advisory committee of multiple conservation and bird-related organizations, both domestic and international, and is former chairman of IL and NY chapters of The Nature Conservancy.

Wendy and her husband Hank have two grown children and are avid hikers, cyclists, and kayakers.

CLICK HERE to explore all of the local bird profiles Wendy has authored in our Birds of Barrington series at 365Barrington.com.

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Northern Harrier

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Merlin

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Gray Catbird

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Spring Homecoming

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Brown Creeper

Wendy Paulson’s Barrington Area Bird Walks Return for Late Summer & Fall, 2020

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Yellow-billed Cuckoo

In a bleak year, the natural world stirs hope

Barrington Christmas Bird Count Helps Map Population Trends Globally

Annual Christmas Bird Count to Reveal New Insights on Barrington Bird Population

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Field Sparrow

New Schedule of Fall Bird Hikes with Wendy Paulson

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Common Yellowthroat

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Wilson’s Snipe

New Schedule of Spring Bird Hikes with Wendy Paulson

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Red-breasted Merganser

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Cooper’s Hawk

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | American Robin

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Bald Eagle

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Eastern Wood Peewee

Wendy Paulson’s Barrington Area Bird Hikes this Fall!

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Chimney Swift

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Yellow Warbler

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Song Sparrow

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Common Goldeneye

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Of Music & Mourning Doves

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Northern Shrike

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Tale of the Turkey Vulture

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Song of the Sedge Wren

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Dickcissel Discovery

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | American White Pelican

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | American Woodcock

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Common Merganser

Barrington Area Spring Bird Walks & Hikes with Wendy Paulson

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | American Tree Sparrow

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Golden-crowned Kinglet

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Blue Jay

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | American Goldfinch

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Black-billed Cuckoo

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Brown Thrasher

Spring Bird Spotting with Wendy Paulson

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Wood Duck

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Red-bellied Woodpecker

Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | White-throated Sparrow

365. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Great Horned Owl

311. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Pied-billed Grebe

266. New Schedule of Fall Bird Hikes With Wendy Paulson

265. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Common Nighthawk

235. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Cedar Waxwing

200. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Indigo Bunting

164. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Scarlet Tanager

163. Stunning Photos Captured During Annual Baker’s Lake Island Rookery Bird Count

126. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | The Eastern Towhee

97. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Return of the Red-winged Blackbird

61. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington: The Upside-Down Bird

60. New Season of Spring Bird Walks & Hikes with Naturalist Wendy Paulson

43. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | The Downy Woodpecker Yawns at Dawn

13. The Ultimate Recycling Project Refreshes Heron Rookery with Christmas Trees

6. Recycled Christmas Trees Bound for Rookery Island

5. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington: Red-tailed Hawk

321. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington: The Sandhill Crane

278. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

248. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | The Call of the Killdeer

228. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Barn Swallows Signal Autumn’s Approach

199. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington: Eastern Kingbird

153. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Baltimore Oriole

126. Wendy Paulson Highlights The Great Blue Heron, Barrington’s Official Town Bird

125. Hands of Hope’s 14th Annual Barrington Country Garden & Antique Faire

89. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Eastern Meadowlark, the Flautist of Prairies

66. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Northern Cardinal

64. Barrington Spring Bird Walks with Wendy Paulson

36. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | The Black-Capped Chickadee

18. Christmas Trees Transported to Refresh Nests at Baker’s Lake Rookery

337. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | ‘Tis the Season for Snowbirds

279. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Eastern Bluebird

201. Fall Bird Walks Scheduled with Wendy Paulson

186. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | The Bobolink

116. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Great Egret Spotting at Baker’s Lake

84. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | Finding the Northern Flicker

72. Wendy Paulson’s Birds of Barrington | An Eye on the Eastern Phoebe

60. Citizens for Conservation Spring Bird Hikes

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